Artwork

喜多川歌麿画「美人気量競五明楼花扇」|“Hanaōgi of the Gomeirō,” from the series Comparing the Charms of Beauties (Bijin kiryō kurabe: Gomeirō Hanaōgi)

喜多川歌麿画「美人気量競五明楼花扇」|“Hanaōgi of the Gomeirō,” from the series Comparing the Charms of Beauties (Bijin kiryō kurabe: Gomeirō Hanaōgi) 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, this woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro forms part of his series "Bijin kiryō kurabe" (Comparing the Charms of Beauties). The work, titled "Hanaōgi of the Gomeirō," is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and exemplifies the late‑eighteenth‑century Japanese interest in portraiture of fashionable women.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a young woman with luminous, unblemished skin and a composed expression. Her hair is styled in a sleek updo, secured with two slender hairpins that subtly emerge. She is dressed in a soft pink collar and a kimono patterned with intertwined green and pink blossoms, holding a delicately decorated fan that reinforces the theme of refined femininity.

Technique & Style

The careful rendering of texture—particularly the sheen of the silk and the translucency of the fan—demonstrates the artist’s mastery of ukiyo‑e print methods.

Utamaro employs precise line work and a restrained palette, allowing the figure to dominate the composition. The background is rendered in a uniform dark tone, which isolates the subject and accentuates the subtle gradations of ink and color on her garments and accessories. The careful rendering of texture—particularly the sheen of the silk and the translucency of the fan—demonstrates the artist’s mastery of ukiyo‑e print methods.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in the Edo period, a time when ukiyo‑e prints circulated widely among urban audiences. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, joining a broader assemblage of Japanese prints that document the era’s popular visual culture.

Context

Utamaro’s series compared the allure of various courtesans and fashionable women, reflecting contemporary fascination with beauty standards and the social roles of women in pleasure districts. By focusing on everyday elegance rather than overt drama, the work aligns with the artist’s broader aim to capture intimate, momentary expressions of grace.