Utamaro, born in 1753, is regarded as one of the finest Japanese artists working in the medium of woodblock prints and paintings. His speciality, for which he is best known, was the series of "large-headed woman" in the 1790s.
"He created an absolutely new
type of female beauty. At first he was content to draw the head in normal
proportions and quite definitely round in shape; only the neck on which this
head was posed was already notably slender ... Towards the middle of the tenth
decade these exaggerated proportions of the body had reached such an extreme
that the heads were twice as long as they were broad, set upon slim long necks,
which in turn swayed upon very slim shoulders; the upper coiffure bulged out to
such a degree that it almost surpassed the head itself in extent; the eyes were
indicated by short slits, and were separated by an inordinately long nose from
an infinitesimally small mouth; the soft robes hung loosely about figures of an
almost unearthly thinness" (From Wikipedia). Here are some more of his pictures:
I'm listening to Joan Baez's version of Janis (At Seventeen) Ian's plaintive and sad song Jessie. Hear it here.
Janis's own original version is almost too sad. She gives a vulnerable and completely believable performance here.
8 comments:
bazza
when I was at uni, we studied art history from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, India, Russia etc etc but never Japan. In fact the closest I got to a Japanese influence (Japonism) on European art was in the last quarter of the 19th century, especially in impressionism.
The lines are so delicate I can see why prints would be most suitable than oil paint.
Hels: The impressionists were very much influenced by Japanese (and Chinese) art styles. It's interesting that Utamaro also specialised in drawings of insects which also require those fine lines!
Hello Bazza, I used to read about ukiyo-e art and was able to attend several remarkable exhibitions to see Utamaro, Harunobu, Masanobu, etc. at first hand. Perhaps one of the secrets of Northern Ohio is that Oberlin College (famous for its music conservatory) has an extremely fine collection of Japanese prints. It seems that an Oberlin alumna perspicaciously started collecting Japanese print in quantity in the early 1900's, when many could be had for pennies, and later gave her collection to the college.
--Jim
Jim: Wow, what a wonderful thing for a college to have. I have always enjoyed eastern Asian art for it's simplicity and pure beauty.
Hi Bazza - I feel as if I've missed out recently by not seeing some of the exhibitions that have been put on e.g. at the British Museum ... Japanese art is one I haven't had a chance to explore. Though our film society often has Japanese films ... and again I then find that I've missed out in this discipline ... I'll catch up one day. Thanks for posting for about Utamaro ... the artist will sit with me for future triggers ... cheers Hilary
OMG. I have that image on a small wooden box a friend gave me. It's nice to know what it is and who the artist is.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Hilary: I love your ever-expanding thirst for knowledge! Like me, I sense that you want to know everything...
Sherry: How lovely that you recognised it! Christmas greetings to you too Sherry!
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