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

"The Tenth Month", made by Utagawa Toyokuni I, is a woodblock print, part of a series representing fashionable life across the seasons. The appeal of this print lies in its meticulous production, which demanded a close collaboration between the artist, block carver, and printer. The lines of the woman’s robe, and the objects around her, are sharply defined. The flat, bright colors were painstakingly applied in layers, using a separate block for each hue. The texture of the paper itself contributes to the overall effect, giving a tactile quality to the image. These prints were not just images; they were commodities, reflecting the rising consumer culture of Edo-period Japan. Each print required skilled labor and careful management, speaking volumes about the economic system that supported its creation. The print captures a moment of refined leisure, yet it is itself the product of considerable work and a complex social context.