Okitsu Possibly 1854 - 1858

print, ink, color-on-paper

childish illustration

water colours

pastel soft colours

print

japan

handmade artwork painting

ink

color-on-paper

wedding around the world

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

cartoon carciture

cartoon theme

watercolor

"Okitsu" is a woodblock print by the renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Kunisada, also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III. Dating back to the mid-19th century, the print depicts a dramatic scene of a woman and a man, possibly a couple, on a beach. The vibrant colors and detailed imagery are characteristic of Kunisada's artistic style, which blended traditional ukiyo-e techniques with contemporary elements. This ōban format print, with its coastal backdrop and intimate subject matter, offers viewers a glimpse into daily life and human interactions during the Edo period.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The station of Okitsu along the Tōkaidō Roadway is near Tago-no-ura, a site of great natural beauty. Here, Hiroshige shows the town and temple in the distance with fish nets hung to dry in the foreground. Kunisada illustrated a female traveler receiving a massage from a blind masseur. Taga-no-ura was the subject of a poem by Yamabe Akahito, an eighth century courtier who was later lauded as one of Japan's "Thirty-six Immortal Poets." Here, the masseur may be reciting Akahito's poem for the enjoyment of the woman: When from Tago's coast'sbarrier shadow I emerge,I am startled byMount Fuji's lofty peakClad in newly fallen snow.