Kitagawa Utamaro

1753～1806
He was an Ukiyo-e (浮世絵: pictures of the floating world) artist. It is said he studied the brushwork of Kano school, but his early painting was painted by Katsukawa school’s brushwork. He drew many Bijinnga (美人画: the picture of beautiful women), especially Okubi-e (大首絵: close-up portrait of beautiful women). He expressed the texture of women’s skin and closes well. He portrayed the syogun, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (豊臣秀吉) but it was forbidden . As a result, he received punishment of tegusari (手鎖の刑: behaving at home with his hands in chains).