Artwork

Omi Province from the series Fashionable Six Jewel Rivers (Furyu Mu Tamagawa)

Omi Province from the series Fashionable Six Jewel Rivers (Furyu Mu Tamagawa) is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1804 by the ukiyo‑e master Kitagawa Utamaro, this woodblock print belongs to the series known as Fashionable Six Jewel Rivers (Furyū Mu Tamagawa). The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and depicts a tranquil riverside scene populated by three women in contemporary dress.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents three female figures engaged in everyday activity: a woman on the left lifts her sleeve while holding a fan, a taller figure in the centre wears a patterned kimono and a dark hat, and a third woman sits on the ground, gazing downward. Their relaxed postures suggest a moment of private leisure along a riverbank.

Technique & Style

Utamaro employs delicate line work and a restrained palette of muted hues to render the folds of silk and the subtle play of light on fabric. Soft shading creates a chiaroscuro effect that gives the scene a modest sense of depth, while the wavy background hints at water without detailed rendering.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in the early nineteenth century as part of a popular series that celebrated scenic locales along Japan’s rivers. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, where it remains on display as an example of Utamaro’s later output.

Context

During the Edo period, prints of fashionable women, or bijin-ga, were in high demand. Utamaro’s contribution to the series reflects both the aesthetic preferences of urban patrons and the broader cultural interest in depicting leisurely river scenes that combined natural beauty with contemporary dress.