Kitagawa Utamaro “Myriad Birds”

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753?-1806) became a popular artist after he was discovered the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo (aka "Tsutaju"). He is known as the originator of okubi-e (portraits showing only the head or the head and upper torso) of beautiful women. But the first work he took on for Tsutaju was not bijinga (pictures of beautiful women) but illustrations for kyoka-bon (books of humorous poems). Around 1789, Tsutaju published three kyoka-bon, "Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon Mushi Erami)," "Gifts from the Ebb Tide (Shioi no Tsuto)" and "Myriad Birds (Momo Chidori)" and commissioned Utamaro to draw the illustrations. These were the works that made Utamaro famous as a brilliant artist. For "Myriad Birds," Utamaro drew various birds to match the poems included in the book. Although the illustrations are realistic representations of the subjects, they are also polished and refined. Intricate techniques are employed in all aspects of his work, such as the precise carving to convey the details of the birds, karazuri to give a three-dimensional effect to the bird feathers, and delicate shading. It is considered a masterpiece that manifests the true talents of Utamaro.