The Second Month (Ni gatsu), from the series "Fashionable Twelve Months (Furyu junikagetsu)" c. 1793

"The Second Month (Ni gatsu)" is a woodblock print from the series "Fashionable Twelve Months (Furyu junikagetsu)" by the renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Toyokuni I. The print, which is dated to around 1793, depicts two women engaged in the practice of calligraphy, a popular pastime among the Japanese elite. One woman, dressed in an elaborate kimono, is holding a brush while guiding the other woman's hand, who is concentrating intently on her writing. The scene captures the beauty and refinement of Japanese culture during the Edo period and is a testament to Toyokuni's mastery of ukiyo-e, a style of Japanese art that captures the floating world of everyday life.