O-Shichi of the Yaoya House
Woodblock Print
1801-1804 (Made)
1801-1804 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The orange accents in this print hint at the fires that marked O-Shichi's fate. Having fallen in love with a temple attendant while fleeing a fire in December 1682, she later committed arson in a bid to meet him again. Finally, she was burnt at the stake.
Utamaro is believed to have designed about 2000 prints, ranking him among the most productive of all ukiyo-e artists. He is especially noted for his prints of beautiful women: 'bijinga'. This print is an excellent example of the head-and-shoulders portraiture style he pioneered within this genre.
Utamaro is believed to have designed about 2000 prints, ranking him among the most productive of all ukiyo-e artists. He is especially noted for his prints of beautiful women: 'bijinga'. This print is an excellent example of the head-and-shoulders portraiture style he pioneered within this genre.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | O-Shichi of the Yaoya House (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour print from woodblocks |
| Brief description | Woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) depicting the courtesan Oshichi of the Yao-ya holding a letter from an admirer, Japanese, c.1800; Pap, Japan, prints |
| Physical description | Colours printed on paper |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Object history | Purchased from E. Bella, accessioned in 1895. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | The orange accents in this print hint at the fires that marked O-Shichi's fate. Having fallen in love with a temple attendant while fleeing a fire in December 1682, she later committed arson in a bid to meet him again. Finally, she was burnt at the stake. Utamaro is believed to have designed about 2000 prints, ranking him among the most productive of all ukiyo-e artists. He is especially noted for his prints of beautiful women: 'bijinga'. This print is an excellent example of the head-and-shoulders portraiture style he pioneered within this genre. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.427-1895 |
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| Record created | March 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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