Midnight The Hour Of The Rat 

Kitagawa Utamaro, who was active during the late 18th century, made this woodblock print titled, *Midnight The Hour Of The Rat*. It is part of a series called "Beauties of the Floating World Matched to the Hours of the Day." Utamaro captures the quiet intimacy between a mother and child at midnight. During the Edo period, the role of women was largely confined to the domestic sphere, and motherhood was highly valued. The print reflects these cultural norms but it also offers a glimpse into the personal, lived experience of women. Consider how the artist renders the mother’s gaze, tender and watchful, as she cradles her child. Does this image reinforce traditional gender roles, or does it subtly celebrate the strength and resilience of women within those roles? The "floating world" refers to the pleasure districts of Edo-era Japan. This print invites us to consider the lives and experiences of women within that world, balancing public expectations with private realities.