Two Chinese Women Examining Thread and a Spider’s Web in a Box, from the series "Diptych for the Drum Group"
c. 1824
Medium
Color woodblock prints with metallic pigment; surimono shikishiban diptych
Dimensions
20.6 × 18.4 cm (8 1/8 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
80977
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, artist Yashima Gaki crafted this enchanting diptych, *Two Chinese Women Examining Thread a Spider’s Web in a Box*, from the series *Diptych for the Drum Group* (c. 1824). Printed on delicate shikishiban paper—a square format favored for intimate viewing—the work measures just 20.6 × 18.4 cm. Using color woodblock techniques with shimmering metallic pigments, Gaki captured a serene moment of curiosity, where two elegant Chinese women peer into a box holding fine thread and a spider’s web. These luxurious *surimono* prints, often commissioned by poetry circles or enthu...
About the Artist
Yashima Gakutei · 1786–1868
Yashima Gakutei (c. 1786–1868), born in Osaka as the illegitimate son of a Tokugawa shogunate samurai named Hirata, adopted the name from his mother's subsequent marriage into the Yashima clan. Little is documented about his early years beyond these familial ties, but he pursued artistic training under the esteemed ukiyo-e masters Totoya Hokkei and Katsushika Hokusai, absorbing their precision in ...