Framed Kitagawa Utamario Color Woodblock Print Abalone Divers The Print Is Signed By Artist. Kitagawa Utamaro lived from[x=#226/][x=#8364/][x=#8240/]1753 - October 1806) was a Japanese artist. He is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his bijin [x=#197/][x=#141/]kubi-e "large-headed pictures of beautiful women" of the 1790s. He also produced nature studies, particularly illustrated books of insects. His work began to appear in the 1770s, and he rose to prominence in the early 1790s with his portraits. He produced over 2000 known prints and was one of the few ukiyo-e artists to achieve fame throughout Japan in his lifetime.