These elegant reproductions of the original woodblock prints are sophisticated and timeless. Matted and framed with a faux bamboo frame. Approximately 35 years old.
Dimensions (for both) - Frame = 14" wide X 18 3/4" tall. Print matted to 9.5" wide X 14" tall.

Reproduction Print #1 - A Low Class Prostitute (Gun [teppo]), from the series “Five Shades of Ink in the Northern Quarter” (“Hokkoku goshiki-zumi”).

Reproduction Print #2 - Ten Physiognomic Types of Women, Coquettish Type. This Edo-period masterpiece from the 18th century reveals the delicate yet seductive charm of a woman whose gaze teases and entices. With Utamaro’s signature elegance, the painting explores feminine beauty, emotion, and the art of subtle expression. A timeless portrayal of infidelity, desire, and social perception, this work stands as a mesmerizing example of Japanese aesthetics and the ukiyo-e tradition.

Framed and sold by Healey's Custom Framing and Gifts (Welland, Ontario), minor damage to paper backing of frame, no damage to print or matting. Faux bamboo frame has minor rubbing of finish. Displayed and stored in a climate controlled library setting.

Notes on the artist - Kitagawa Utamaro [喜多川 歌麿 Japanese, 1753 (?)-1806] is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his bijin ōkubi-e "large-headed pictures of beautiful women" of the 1790s. He also produced nature studies, particularly illustrated books of insects.

Little is known of Utamaro's life. His work began to appear in the 1770s, and he rose to prominence in the early 1790s with his portraits of beauties with exaggerated, elongated features. He produced over 2000 known prints and was one of the few ukiyo-e artists to achieve fame throughout Japan in his lifetime. In 1804 he was arrested and manacled for fifty days for making illegal prints depicting the 16th-century military ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and died two years later.

Utamaro's work reached Europe in the mid-nineteenth century, where it was very popular, enjoying particular acclaim in France. He influenced the European Impressionists, particularly with his use of partial views and his emphasis on light and shade, which they imitated. The reference to the "Japanese influence" among these artists often refers to the work of Utamaro.