Edo Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Bijin-ga Series XVII (nº 17) Title: Love for a farmer´s wife Sensual portrait of a young and beautiful farmer´s wife. Her cheerful and careless gesture, showing her chest between the open folds of the neckline of his humble dress; the strands of hair falling on her temples, and her smiling gesture denote the state of happiness enjoying love, in a well-deserved break from her hard work. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock...

Bijin-ga Series I (Nº1) Title: Karagoto of The Chojiya Head and bust portrait of the beautiful courtesan Karagoto, of the Chojiya House, who appears looking to her left while drying her right ear with the sleeve of her yukata (a fine summer garment, normally made of cotton that was normally used after bathing). The wide sleeve falls from her ear covering her right breast and leaving the left one uncovered. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijing-ga Series XXII (Nº 22) Title: THE FLICKLE TYPE Upper half of the body of a woman in yukata (summer kymono) with part of her chest bare. Depicted just after a bath, she is turning her head and drying her hands with the towel hang on her shoulder. Her just-washed hair is tied around an ornate hairpin, the hair style called bai-mage (spiral-shell chignon). The unkempt hair of the nape and the movement of the hands one on the other are clear examples of Utamaro's mastery, who had an exceptionally observant eye for women. The Fickle ( or Fancy-free) Type is flirting with more than one member of the opposite sex This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

BIJIN-GA SERIES XVIII (Nº 18) Title: Obvious Love (Arawaruru Koi) This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print Obvious Love (Arawaruru Koi) (1793-94); 38,8 x 26,2 cm.. Art Institute Chicago, USA. A sensual woman seems to care little that her kimono is open, exposing a breast. Her hair is in disarray , the hairpin at the front about to fall and she holds one of the hairpins in her left hand. She appears to be looking down outside the frame of the picture, perhaps in mid-conversation. The term “arawaruru” refers to a love so wholehearted that it expresses itself in the lover´s face and mannerisms. In the 1780's and 90's the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo and the designer Kitagawa Utamaro worked together on the production of many woodblock prints, most of them of the bijin-ga type. One of their most popular productions was a set of images that purported to depict psychological classifications of women - 'fickle', 'interesting', etc.. Perhaps in response to this success, they then came up with something similar - a set of prints...

Bijing-Ga Series XII (Nº 12) Title: Reflective Love. Lovely portrait of a beauty looking over her shoulder. In Reflective Love (from the Utamaro...

Beijing-ga Series XXX (nº 30) Title: “Takashimaohisa” Ohisa, along with Okita and Tomimoto Toyohina, were the three most famous beauties of the time. The first two were waitresses...

Bijin-ga series XXV (Nº 25) Title: SOMENOSUKE OF THE MATSUBAYA Somenosuke of house Matsubaya, known as a youthful courtesan who quickly rose through the ranks of popularity is shown producing a concealed letter, glancing about to confirm she is indeed alone. The highlights of the drawing are the fine carving of the courtesan´s hair-line and the fine dress; an elegant kimono with vivid colors and intricate dessing. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijin-ga series XXIX (Nº 29) Title: Bijin Ôkubi Upper torso portrait of a Japanese beauty, depicted with a graceful hand gesture and an ornate headdress. Her soft round features contrast with the colourful sharp angles of the collars of her kimono. Her elongated oval face, straight nose and red butterfly lips are typical of the prototype of a beautiful woman, Bijin-ga. Her upper torso and face occupying the central section of the picture show a composition type that became known in time as Large-head pictures, or Okubi-e; compositions with which Utamaro became a model for generations of woodblock artists. This image is part of the Bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijin-ga series XXI (Nº 21) Title: The courtese Hinakoto of the Hyôgorô House of Edo The courtesan Hinakoto is depicted by smoking tobacco. She takes the pipe delicately in her left hand and, in her right hand, she seems to be holding a “uchiwa” (rigid hand fan) that comes out from the bottom of the drawing, decorated with written calligraphy. Some strands of hair that fall on her temple and her scant clothing show that the painter has surprised her in a relaxed moment in which she does not lose her elegance and slenderness. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

“Hitomoto of The Daimonjiya in Kyô-Machi Itchôme” Hitomoto holds a bouquet of flowers looking to her left, with a surprised face, and with her mouth aj...

LOVE FOR A STREET-WALKER Crayon, graphite, pencil on paper. Measurements: (H) 76 x (W) 56 cm. Attractive portrait of an Edo prostitute hurrying through the streets. She wears a black kimono over layers of colored kimono, tucking her hand into the "obi" at her waist. A white scarf is draped over her head, the edge caught between her teeth, and loose wisps of hair framed her face. There is an impressive contrast between the black kimono and the yellow-orange of collars, sleeves and "obi", balancing the composition the pastel pink of the scarf that covers her head. This image is part of the "bijin-ga" series, Pretty Women, drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print "Love for a street-walker" (1795), 37,2 x 24,6 cm. The British Musem. London, UK. The artist reproduces the seal of the censor (Kiwame) and from the original publisher ("Tsutaya", climbing leaf)), between the two, the signature of Mario BGil written in Japanese, with the date 14 (2014). The mesaurements of the drawing are 76 x 56 cm. (29,92 x 22,05 in.), with a painted surface of 67 x 49,5 cm. With his work on the "bijing-ga" series, Mario BGil wanted to embellish, give brilliance and volume to the images presented by japanese artist Kitigawa Utamaro in those beautiful engravings, ennobled with the patina of time, which have served as inspiration. The result obtained is almost life-size portraits, endowed with strong chromaticism and valuable contrasts, all enhanced, in turn, with the volume provided by the weight and rigidity of the paper, and its thick texture (Fabriano Artistico “grana grosso”, 640g/m2; the thickness and hardness of the paper makes it necessary to transport it without rolling). In this way, Mario BGil pays tribute to his admired artist and offers us a new and enriched vision of this popular facet of oriental art from the 18th and 19th centuries. ABOUT THE ARTIST Mario BGil is a self-taught artist who for years has combined his creative activity with his work in the family business, away from commercial art galleries. In 2012, a deep interest in oriental art was awakened in him and he began to study the great masters of Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, who had such an influence on the European avant-garde of the late 19th century. The discovery of Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), a key figure in the metropolitan culture of Edo (now Tokyo), and a point of reference in the history of Japanese engraving...

Bijin-ga Series XXXIV (Nº 34) Title: Miyahito of the Ôgiya Three quarter portrait of the elegant courtesan Miyahito of the Ôgiya House. This beautifully dressed japanese woman wears a solid grey outer robe, which contrasts with her soft rose kimono and the colored obi with an intricate geometric pattern. Her hair is arranged high atop her head, adorned with several hairpins. A classic Utamaro beauty print recreated with extraordinary taste and subtlety by Mario BGil in this delicate drawing. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijin-ga series II (nº 02) Title: “Hairdresser” The interest in this picture is focused on the hairstyles of both women, a hairdresser leaning forward with a bow of intense black color, arranging his client's especially long hair. The ways of gripping both the hair and the comb, making it slide through the ocher-scented kimono of the customer, decorated with sea stars, stand out. Highlighting with great detail the drawing of loose hair on the obi of white lines on a red background, and the kosode of plum color. This image is part of the Bijin-ga Series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print "Hairdresser" (1798-1799), 39,8 x 26,8 cm. Museum of Fine Arts. Boston-USA. Utamaro drawn a series of twelve prints whose themes were related to the manual works of women, and this "Hairdresser" is one of them. Mario BGil reproduces the seal of the censor (Kiwame) and writes his own signature, Mario BGil, in Japanese, with the date 14 (2014). The mesaurements of the drawing are 76 x 56 cm. (29,92 x 22,05 in.), with a painted surface of 67 x 49,5 cm. With his work on the bijing-ga series, Mario BGil wanted to embellish, give brilliance and volume to the images presented by japanese artist Kitigawa Utamaro in those beautiful engravings, ennobled with the patina of time, which have served as inspiration. The result obtained is almost life-size portraits, endowed with strong chromaticism and valuable contrasts, all enhanced, in turn, with the volume provided by the weight and rigidity of the paper, and its thick texture (Fabriano Artistico “grana grosso”, 640g/m2; the thickness and hardness of the paper makes it necessary to transport it without rolling). In this way, Mario BGil pays tribute to his admired artist and offers us a new and enriched vision of this popular facet of oriental art from the 18th and 19th centuries. ABOUT THE ARTIST Mario BGil is a self-taught artist who for years has combined his creative activity with his work in the business world, away from commercial art galleries. Man of very diverse interests and great artistic sensitivity, studied Art History and in 2012, a deep interest in oriental art was awakened in him so that he began to study the great masters of Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, who had such an influence on the European avant-garde of the late 19th century. The discovery of Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), a key figure in the metropolitan culture of Edo (now Tokyo), and a point of reference in the history of Japanese engraving...

Bijin-ga series XXVIII (Nº 28) Title: Tatsumi Roko Portrait of Tatsumi Roko, a geisha of the pleasure quarters in the Edo period. The image belongs to the series Renowed Beauties Likened to the Six Inmortal Poets. The popular top-class geishas of the day , known as “oiran”, were depicted in this type of print. In ukiyo-e woodblock prints, this close-up portrait view of the upper body is known as an okubi-e (bust portrait). This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijing-Ga series XXVII (Nº 27) Title: Tomomoto Toyohina Tomimoto Toyohina was a much sought-after geisha (entertainer) who performed narrative ballads accompanied by the shamisen. She was one of several non-prostitute beauties, including teahouse waitresses, whom Utamaro depicted repeatedly in the early to mid 1790s. She appears here with a brush in hand, dressed and combed with simple elegance. This composition is from a six-print series comprising half-length portraits of famous beauties (Famous beauties of Edo). Utamaro elevated Tomimoto Toyohina to the status of one of the three most renowned beauties of her age (together with Okita and Ohisa). She was from a prominent family of musicians that provided entertainment in the Yoshiwara. Toyohina’s appeal undoubtedly was as much due to her appearance as to her skills in singing, and Utamaro’s celebration of her would have further elevated the status of an already well-known lineage. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...