Art Archive • Utamaro
Ukiyo-e
Ten Physiognomies
Beauty Smoking a Pipe after Bathing
煙管を持つ女
Representing the Ten Physiognomies series at the height of ōkubi-e: typology and inner character conveyed through props and expression. After bathing, a woman pauses with a kiseru — Edo “iki” ( chic ) compressed into one private beat.
Kiseru and ashtray — trace the joint of the bamboo stem, the metal mouthpiece, and the angle of the fingers; the pipe is character, not decoration.
Eyes and mouth — compare with “Poppin Girl” and “Reading a Letter”; each physiognomy type uses a different balance of playfulness and resignation.
Damp hair and skin tone — the bath setting shows in wet hair and shoulder color against the mica ground.
Made by hand
Drawn by Kitagawa Utamaro.
Extended Japanese viewing notes: 煙管を持つ女.