NHK's educational program "Ukiyo-e EDO-LIFE" features ukiyo-e prints linked to the story every week, in order to help viewers enjoy the station's historical drama "UNBOUND (Berabou)" (General TV, Sundays at 8pm and others) more deeply. On October 24th, "The World of UNBOUND: Tsutaju and Utamaro's Three Beauties - Are Their Faces All Different!?" will be broadcast on BS Premium 4K from 6pm and on Educational TV from 11:50pm.
This time we will be introducing Kitagawa Utamaro's "Three Beauties of the Time: Tomimoto Yutaka, Namba-ya Kita, and Takashima Hisa," painted around 1793. This famous painting depicts three extremely popular idols of the Edo period. With black hair, fair skin, and narrow eyes, all three appear to have the same face, but a closer look reveals the distinct personalities of each of them.
Tomimoto Toyohina, a popular geisha in Yoshiwara, is the number one geisha, excelling in her art and the most beautiful. In comparison, Takashima Ohisa and Namba-ya Okita, who work at a teahouse, are closer to her and their personalities are clearly visible.
The artist's unique portrayal of the charms of Tsutaju and Utamaro, a master of beautiful women paintings, shines through.
