The genre of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) entered a new era at the hand of Utamaro (1753-1806). In place of anonymous beauties, he imbued his graceful subjects with a subtle sense of personality. Utamaro’s designs explore the lives of these women both through their public personas as stars of the Yoshiwara (Edo's legalized prostitution district) and intimate moments in their private lives. From okubi-e (big head) portraits of famous beauties to bookplates from Annals of the Green Houses (1804) that chronicle life within the Yoshiwara, the exhibition Utamaro’s Women illustrates a genre reimagined.