Artwork

女織蚕手業草 十二終|Women Weaving Silk Cloth

女織蚕手業草 十二終|Women Weaving Silk Cloth, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ink, 1800
女織蚕手業草 十二終|Women Weaving Silk Cloth, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ink, 1800

女織蚕手業草 十二終|Women Weaving Silk Cloth is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Women Weaving Silk Cloth is a woodblock print created by Kitagawa Utamaro around 1800. It is a genre scene depicting everyday life, executed in ink and color on paper.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows three women working with silk in an indoor setting. One woman stands with a basket, another operates a large loom, and the third is possibly winding thread. Their simple, patterned clothing is rendered in green and brown hues.

Technique & Style

The artist employs clean lines and flat colors to convey a sense of movement and collaboration among the women. The composition highlights the women's focus on their task, suggesting a familiar, routine activity.

Context

Scenes of daily life, like this one, were a common theme in Japanese art, often capturing mundane tasks and ordinary people at work.

Artist & collection