Two Chinese Women Examining Thread and a Spider’s Web in a Box, from the series "Diptych for the Drum Group" c. 1824

Yashima Gakutei created this woodblock print, “Two Chinese Women Examining Thread and a Spider’s Web in a Box,” in Japan in the first half of the 19th century. It’s one half of a diptych, suggesting an intimate and shared activity. The print offers a glimpse into the cultural milieu of the Edo period. Japan, under the Tokugawa shogunate, was a society marked by strict social hierarchies, a flourishing merchant class, and a vibrant artistic culture. Woodblock prints, like this one, gained popularity among the urban population, reflecting their tastes and interests. The presence of Chinese women hints at the ongoing fascination with Chinese culture. Note also the influence of neo-Confucian ideals on gender roles. To fully understand this print, we might turn to books, journals, and archives that shed light on the social history of 19th-century Japan. We could explore histories of the merchant class or studies of gender roles. These resources help us decipher the cultural codes embedded in the image.