Who painted 歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter?

歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1794.

Where can I see 歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter?

歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter?

歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1794

歌撰恋之部夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1794 by the Japanese ukiyo‑e artist Kitagawa Utamro, this woodblock print depicts a solitary young woman absorbed in a letter. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies the intimate portraiture for which Utamro is known.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is shown in a quiet moment, her gaze lowered as she reads a rolled letter held gently between her fingers. Dressed in a kimono patterned with red and white blossoms and wearing an up‑do secured by a hairpin, her serene expression conveys contemplation and the private emotions associated with correspondence.

Technique & Style

Utamro employed the traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock process, layering ink and pigments to achieve subtle tonal variations. The background is rendered in a muted beige, allowing the vivid floral kimono and delicate facial features to stand out. The composition balances flat decorative elements with a nuanced rendering of the subject’s posture and expression.

History & Provenance

The print, titled “A Young Woman Reading a Letter,” has been part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings since its acquisition in the early 20th century. Its attribution to Utamro and dating to the mid‑1790s place it within the artist’s mature period, when he focused on individualized portrayals of women in everyday settings.