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Women Drawing Strings for Prizes, right panel of a triptych by Kitagawa Utamaro — Japanese Woodblock print

Women Drawing Strings for Prizes, right panel of a triptych

by Kitagawa Utamaro

Medium:
Woodblock print
Format:
Oban triptych

Description

This print depicts women participating in a lottery or prize drawing, pulling strings to reveal their fortunes — a popular entertainment at festivals and temple fairs. The pulling of strings (kujibiki) was a form of divination that combined luck with festive sociability, and its association with women in a group setting gave Utamaro the opportunity to depict multiple figures in a shared moment of anticipation. The triptych context suggests a broader festival panorama.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Women Drawing Strings for Prizes, right panel of a triptych was created by Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿).

Women Drawing Strings for Prizes, right panel of a triptych depicts figures, bijin-ga, and daily life.