Ichikawa Monosuke II

Katsukawa Shun'ei 勝川春英

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art