The Twelfth Month (Goku getsu), from the series "Fashionable Twelve Months (Furyu junikagetsu)" c. 1793

Utagawa Toyokuni I created this woodblock print titled "The Twelfth Month" as part of the "Fashionable Twelve Months" series. These prints emerged during the Edo period, a time when Japan experienced significant economic growth and cultural flourishing, which led to the rise of a merchant class with disposable income and a taste for the arts. This print offers a glimpse into the life of a woman, likely a courtesan or a wealthy merchant's wife, during the Edo period. We see her carefully examining a bolt of fabric, perhaps preparing for the New Year celebrations, which fell in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. The intimate portrayal challenges traditional representations of women, often depicted as either idealized beauties or domestic figures. Instead, we see a woman engaged in a material world, making choices about fashion and textiles, reflecting her agency. The print is imbued with a sense of quiet contemplation, inviting us to reflect on the intersections of gender, class, and consumer culture in shaping identity during the Edo period.