Court ladies producing silk under the supervision of the empress; their tasks include preparing eggs, chopping mulberry leaves, feeding caterpillars and unwinding cocoons. Colour woodcut by Kuniaki II, 1883.

Utagawa Kuniaki II

1883

2 prints : woodcut, printed in colours

Wellcome Collection

There is a large pond in the court gardens behind Women in archaic court dress engage in various stages of sericulture