Who painted Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo?

Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1780.

Where can I see Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo?

Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo?

Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1780

Ichikawa of Matsubaya with Minomo and Tamamo is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1780 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1780 by the Edo‑period ukiyo‑e artist Kitagawa Utamoro, this woodblock print is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It depicts two women dressed in traditional Japanese attire, arranged in a shallow interior space, and exemplifies the artist’s focus on elegant, everyday figures.

Subject & Meaning

The foreground figure wears a striking red‑and‑white patterned kimono secured with a broad black obi, her hair lifted and adorned with a fan‑shaped kanzashi. Behind her, a smaller woman in a pale green robe holds a folding fan, her hair gathered in a modest bun. Both women display composed, neutral expressions, suggesting a moment of quiet interaction rather than narrative drama.

Technique & Style

Utamoro employs crisp, dark outlines that define the forms, while the flat, saturated color fields give the composition a graphic clarity. The subtle gradations on the kimono’s fabric evoke the sense of rippling water, a hallmark of his skill in rendering texture within the constraints of woodblock printing.

History & Provenance

The print has been part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings since its acquisition, though the exact date of purchase is not recorded in the provided data. Its presence in a major American institution reflects the broader 19th‑century interest in Japanese prints among Western collectors and scholars.