Tatsumi Shimura

Original Painting for a Japanese Magazine Cover or Romance Novel

1960s

A young apprentice geisha from Kyoto poses before a gold leaf screen. She is both alluring and slightly distant at the same time, not an easy balance for an artist to convey. This p...

A beauty turns to admire the Kirifuri Waterfall in Nikko Province. She holds the handle of an umbrella and wears fashionable clothing that is beautifully printed. This series pairs f...

Shichirigahama, Sagami Province. A beauty in the foreground waves to her young companions, who run towards her on the beach. The beauty at left wears a western-style golden ring. We ...

The boy Bôtarô watches his nurse Otsuji haul a bucket of water from the well. From the kabuki play Osanago no adauchi. Most interesting is the lush backdrop of lotus flowers and pump...

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...

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 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 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...