[Utamaro] Works published by Tsutaya

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753?-1806) was discovered by the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo (aka "Tsutaju"). He created illustrations for books of kyoka (humorous poems) published by Tsutaya, and eventually broke new ground in the field of bijinga (pictures of beautiful women) to become one of the most popular artists in Edo. Many of Utamaro's works published by Tsutaya still exist today and reveal how the two men worked together to take on a variety of new challenges.

In particular, the genre of bijinga called "okubi-e (portraits showing only the head or the head and upper torso)" is believed to be the brainchild of Tsutaju and Utamaro. With the immense popularity of okubi-e, Utamaro was able to pursue his ideal bijinga and produce numerous masterpieces. Without Tsutaya Juzaburo, the highly competent producer of the Edo Period, the renowned ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro would have never been born. This is a collection of Utamaro masterpieces produced by Tsutaya.