Who painted The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women)?

The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women) was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1796.

Where can I see The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women)?

The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women) is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women)?

The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women) is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women)?

Museum-quality prints of The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women)

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1796

The Hour of the Snake (from the series A Clock for Young Women) is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

It captures a quiet, intimate moment between two figures, reflecting the series’ focus on daily rhythms and feminine experience in late Edo-period Japan.

Created around 1796, The Hour of the Snake is one of twelve prints in Kitagawa Utamaro’s series A Clock for Young Women, each representing a time of day through the lives of women. This woodblock print is part of the ukiyo-e tradition and is currently held by The Cleveland Museum of Art. It captures a quiet, intimate moment between two figures, reflecting the series’ focus on daily rhythms and feminine experience in late Edo-period Japan.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two women in a private setting, their interaction suggesting a moment of quiet exchange. The standing figure holds a fan, a symbol of grace and social nuance, while the seated woman looks upward, implying attentiveness or deference. The title, referencing the snake hour (1–3 a.m.), evokes a liminal time associated with stillness and introspection, aligning the figures’ demeanor with the quietude of the night.

Technique & Style

Utamaro employed fine linework and subtle gradations of color typical of high-quality ukiyo-e prints. The kimonos feature delicate patterns rendered in layered pigments, contrasting with the pale, unadorned background that draws focus to the figures. The composition emphasizes verticality and restrained movement, with attention to textile texture and posture to convey dignity and emotional nuance without overt narrative.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during Utamaro’s mature period, when he was renowned for his bijin-ga, or portraits of beautiful women. It entered The Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through established channels of early 20th-century Japanese art acquisition in the West. Its preservation reflects growing Western interest in Edo-period prints, though its specific provenance prior to museum acquisition remains undocumented in public records.

Context

The series A Clock for Young Women reflects the Edo period’s fascination with time as a structure of daily life, particularly among urban women. Each print corresponds to a traditional Japanese time division, linking personal moments to cosmic cycles. Utamaro’s focus on interiority and subtle gesture diverged from theatrical kabuki scenes, offering instead a contemplative view of women’s private worlds.

Legacy

Utamaro’s series influenced later artists in both Japan and the West, contributing to the global appreciation of ukiyo-e’s emotional depth. The Hour of the Snake exemplifies how everyday scenes, rendered with precision and restraint, could carry symbolic weight. While not widely exhibited, it remains a key example of late 18th-century Japanese printmaking’s capacity for quiet narrative and psychological suggestion.