Utamaro (1753)

Artist Kitagawa Utamaro was one of the most famous ukiyo-e artists. Ukiyo-e translates to "pictures of the floating world," and artist Utamro's ukiyo-e prints were unique in that they usually portrayed one woman, versus the multiple women in comparable ukiyo-e art. Utamaro's art is most well known for his erotic depictions of women, as most of his over 1,500 prints feature females, from mothers to courtesans. 

Before ukiyo-e art, Utamaro created illustrated books, the most famous being Insects. One of his most famous set of ukiyo-e woodcut prints is titled Fu ninsogaku jittai (Ten Physiognomies of Women). Utamaro's woodblock prints of the wife and concubines of military dictator Toyotomi Hideyoshi's got him arrested for shaming the dictator. This ended Kitagawa Utamaro's work as an artist, and he died two years later in 1806. Even though his career was cut short, there are many of Utamaro's ukiyo-e prints for sale around the world. Enjoy vintage woodcut prints from online auctions and galleries.