Comments - Interesting illustration of a beauty sitting at a loom weaving. She holds the shuttle in one hand as she moves the heddle, her sleeves tied out of the way with a purple sash. A young sits on the floor beside her, and a shallow round container holds spools of thread. Beautifully detailed with embossing in the threads. A nicely detailed scene from everyday life, set off by a pink background. An unusually large format for a Harunobu reprint.
Woodblock reprints - In the 20th century, artists and publishers collaborated to recreate famous woodblock prints for interested Japanese collectors and Westerners looking for rare designs. New blocks were made, and the prints were painstakingly printed by artisan printers in the same method as the 19th century originals - one block for each color. Woodblock reprints were an opportunity to collect and enjoy a famous design at a small fraction of the price of an original. They still are today.
Artist - Harunobu (1724 - 1770)
Image Size - 13 1/4" x 9 7/8" + margins as shown
Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown.