{"product_id":"koharu-of-the-kinokuniya-and-kamiya-jihei-kitagawa-utamaro","title":"Koharu of the Kinokuniya and Kamiya Jihei - Kitagawa Utamaro","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting the tragic lovers Koharu and Jihei in a refined, intimate composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro depicts a scene from the bunraku play 'The Love Suicides at Amijima' by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The composition focuses on the courtesan Koharu and her lover, Kamiya Jihei, captured in a moment of quiet intimacy. Utamaro employs his signature 'okubi-e' or large-head style, which brings the figures into close proximity with the viewer, allowing for a detailed examination of their expressions and the subtle interplay of their garments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe print demonstrates the technical precision of the Edo period publishing houses. The lines are clean and deliberate, defining the contours of the faces and the folds of the fabric with economy. The colour palette is restrained, relying on muted tones of red, grey, and black to maintain a sombre mood appropriate to the tragic narrative of the play. The figures are draped in traditional head coverings, which serve to frame their faces and draw attention to their downcast eyes and the small object held between them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUtamaro was a master of the 'bijin-ga' genre, which typically focused on the beauty of women in the pleasure districts of Edo. In this work, he shifts the focus toward the emotional weight of a specific literary narrative. The lack of a complex background ensures that the viewer remains engaged with the psychological state of the subjects. The print is a representative example of the late eighteenth-century Japanese aesthetic, where the focus on human emotion and refined line work defined the output of the Ukiyo-e school. The work remains a clear record of the intersection between popular theatre and visual art in historical Japan, providing insight into the cultural preoccupations of the era without relying on excessive ornamentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-famous-practical-jokers-yajirobei-at-a-wayside-restaurant-utagawa-hiroshige\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Famous Practical Jokers: Yajirobei at a Wayside Restaurant - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/view-of-benten-shrine-on-nakanoshima-island-in-shinobazu-pond-ueno-park-utagawa-hiroshige-iii\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eView of Benten Shrine on Nakanoshima Island in Shinobazu Pond, Ueno Park - Utagawa Hiroshige III — Utagawa Hiroshige III\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kitagawa Utamaro","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58931171426639,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58931251478863,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58931251511631,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58931251544399,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58931251577167,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58931251609935,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58931251642703,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58931251675471,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58931251708239,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58931251741007,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58931251773775,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58931251806543,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Koharu-of-the-Kinokuniya-and-Kamiya-Jihei_Poster_CompositorV1_1790704393504.jpg?v=1790705907","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/koharu-of-the-kinokuniya-and-kamiya-jihei-kitagawa-utamaro","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}