{"product_id":"no-6-women-engaged-in-the-sericulture-industry-kitagawa-utamaro","title":"No. 6, Women Engaged in the Sericulture Industry - Kitagawa Utamaro","description":"\u003cp\u003eA woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro from his series on the silk industry, depicting women at work with silkworm cocoons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print belongs to the series Joshoku kaiko tewaza-gusa, or Women Engaged in the Sericulture Industry, produced by Kitagawa Utamaro in the late 1790s. The series documents the various stages of silk production, a vital economic activity in Edo-period Japan. Utamaro, known for his mastery of the bijin-ga genre, applies his characteristic focus on the female form to a domestic and industrial context.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition depicts three women occupied with the care of silkworms. The figures are arranged around wooden trays filled with cocoons, which are stacked on simple tables. The woman on the left pauses to wipe her eye, while her companions continue the task of sorting or inspecting the harvest. Utamaro uses his signature elongated proportions to define the figures, giving them a sense of grace despite the manual nature of their work. The use of line is precise, defining the folds of their kimono and the texture of the wooden trays.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTextual elements are integrated into the upper portion of the print, providing context for the specific stage of sericulture being shown. The colour palette is restrained, relying on soft greens, muted purples, and the natural tone of the paper to create a sense of harmony. This print offers a view into the daily lives of women in the late eighteenth century, moving beyond the typical focus on courtesans found in much of the Ukiyo-e output of the time. The work demonstrates the technical skill of the carvers and printers who collaborated with Utamaro to produce these multi-block impressions. It remains a clear example of the artist's ability to elevate everyday labour into a subject of aesthetic interest.\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":58970185138511,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970224263503,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58970224296271,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58970224329039,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58970224361807,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58970224394575,"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":58970224427343,"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":58970224460111,"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":58970224492879,"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":58970224525647,"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":58970224558415,"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":58970224591183,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/No_Poster_CompositorV1_1790805904409.jpg?v=1790806675","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/no-6-women-engaged-in-the-sericulture-industry-kitagawa-utamaro","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}