Group of Women on the Engawa of a Country House, in the time of the Cherry Blossoming 1796 - 1816

This woodblock print, "Group of Women on the Engawa of a Country House, in the time of the Cherry Blossoming," was created by Utamaro II. The print presents a harmonious arrangement of forms, primarily focusing on the women and the architectural space they occupy. Notice how Utamaro II contrasts the geometric regularity of the house’s engawa with the organic flow of the figures and the natural landscape beyond. The women’s kimonos are patterned with an intricate semiotic system of signs. These details can be interpreted as carriers of cultural and social meanings, reflecting their status and the era’s aesthetic preferences. The background is a structured composition that challenges fixed meanings by engaging with new ways of thinking about space, perception, power or representation. Consider the lines that define the architectural elements. They frame the scene and guide the viewer's eye, creating a structured yet permeable boundary between the interior and exterior. It emphasizes a formal quality of the artwork and how this functions not just aesthetically but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.