Jonge burgerdochter met minnaar bij een shamisen 1799

This color woodblock print, titled "Jonge burgerdochter met minnaar bij een shamisen" was created by Kitagawa Utamaro. The figures are closely cropped, and the dominant shapes are defined by the curves of the embracing figures. The viewer's eye is drawn to the couple’s faces. Utamaro disrupts traditional hierarchies by focusing on the intimate lives of ordinary people. Here, the artist challenges conventional artistic and social norms. The poem inscriptions act as semiotic codes, enhancing the image’s emotional and narrative depth. The shamisen, casually lying nearby, symbolizes the artistic pursuits and leisurely lifestyle of the pleasure quarters. The print’s composition, with its emphasis on the immediacy of the kiss, challenges viewers to reconsider established perspectives. Utamaro skillfully uses the print medium to create a complex interplay of line, color, and form that invites ongoing interpretation.