{"product_id":"house-cleaning-in-preparation-for-the-new-year-kitagawa-utamaro","title":"House cleaning in preparation for the New Year - Kitagawa Utamaro","description":"\u003cp\u003eA detailed woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro depicting women engaged in traditional New Year house cleaning rituals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro captures the domestic activity of house cleaning, a traditional ritual performed in Japan to prepare for the New Year. The composition is divided across three panels, showing a group of women engaged in various tasks: sweeping, dusting, and organising household items. Utamaro, a master of the Ukiyo-e genre, focuses on the natural movements and interactions of the figures within the architectural space. The print provides a glimpse into the daily lives of women in the late eighteenth century, documenting the clothing, tools, and social dynamics of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe artist employs fine, controlled lines to define the figures and the structural elements of the room. The use of space is balanced, with the figures distributed across the foreground and mid-ground to create a sense of depth despite the flat application of colour. The muted palette, typical of period printing techniques, relies on subtle variations of grey, brown, and soft ochre to maintain a sense of harmony. The inclusion of specific details, such as the broom, the lanterns, and the patterned textiles, adds to the narrative quality of the scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUtamaro is recognised for his ability to capture the grace and character of his subjects. In this work, the focus remains on the collective effort of the cleaning process, reflecting the cultural importance of purification and renewal before the start of the calendar year. The print serves as a historical record of domestic customs, presented with the technical precision characteristic of the Ukiyo-e school. Collectors of Japanese art will appreciate the composition and the attention to detail in the depiction of the figures and their environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/shimosuwa-from-sixty-nine-stations-of-the-kisokaido-utagawa-hiroshige\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eShimosuwa, from Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaidō - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/view-of-benten-shrine-on-nakanoshima-island-in-shinobazu-pond-ueno-park-utagawa-hiroshige-iii\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eView of Benten Shrine on Nakanoshima Island in Shinobazu Pond, Ueno Park - Utagawa Hiroshige III — Utagawa Hiroshige III\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kitagawa Utamaro","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970195722575,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970202669391,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970202702159,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58970202734927,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58970202767695,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58970202800463,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58970202833231,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58970202865999,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58970202898767,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58970202931535,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58970202964303,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58970202997071,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/House-cleaning-in-preparation-for-the-New-Year_Poster_CompositorV1_1790805766219.jpg?v=1790807199","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/house-cleaning-in-preparation-for-the-new-year-kitagawa-utamaro","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}