The Making of Silk Floss
Kitagawa Utamaro Japanese
Not on view
Utamaro's fundamental curiosity about women was not limited to any one group or activity. In this print, he shows us women working in silk production, an important occupation for women and an important part of the Edo economy. Its composition reads more like a tableau vivant, with the workers merely suggesting their activities.
The inscription in the cloud-band tells us about the procedures. The mood is sensual, and the selective use of color in Utamaro's refined version of labor is delicate and idealized. The workers' robes are in shades of violet, blue, green, yellow, and pale gray.
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