Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-1792) and Kitao Shigemasa (1739-1820), Japan, 18th century

eleven woodblock prints, from the series Silkworm Cultivation (Kaiko yashinai gusa), depicting young women engaged in the various processes involved in sericulture, circa 1772, framed and glazed, and comprising:

- No. 1 (Dai ichi), signed Katsukawa Shunsho ga (Pictured by Katsukawa Shunsho), newly hatched silkworms brushed on to trays with a feather

- No. 2 (Dai ni), signed Kitao Shigemasa ga (Pictured by Kitao Shigemasa), picking mulberry leaves

- No. 3 (Dai san), signed Katsukawa Shunsho ga, chopping leaves to feed the silkworms

- No. 4 (Dai yon), signed Kitao Shigemasa ga, turning the worms in their trays with a feather

- No. 5 (Dai go), signed Kitao Shigemasa ga, stripping and spreading mulberry leaves for the silkworms

- No. 6 (Dai roku), signed Shunsho ga (Pictured by Shunsho), examining the newly spun cocoons

- No. 7 (Dai shichi), signed Kitao Shigemasa ga, observing the emergence of silk moths from their cocoons

- No. 8 (Dai hachi), signed Shunsho ga, observing silk moths in flight by a stream

- No. 9 (Dai kyu), ???

- No. 10 (Dai-ju), signed Kitao Shigemasa ga, boiling the cocoons, stretching silk on wooden posts and hanging it out to dry

- No. 11 (Dai juichi), signed Katsukawa Shunsho ga, young girl weaving silk at a loom

- No. 12 (Dai juni), signed Katsukawa Shunsho ga, two women and a man in draper's shop looking at a design for a silk kimono

Each vertical chuban: each approx. 26 x 19 cm., 10¼ x 7½ in.