elegant yarns in five colors

http://sammlungonline.mkg-hamburg.de/de/object/Elegante-Garne-in-fünf-Farben/IE1897.27/dc00118220
(PD, CC:0)

"Elegant yarns in five colors." That's the literal translation from the German title of this work as found at the Museum fur Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg: "Elegante Garne in funf Farben."  That must be what Utagawa Toyokuni I (Japanese, 1769-1825) has shown piled up there in the left hand corner of this woodblock print.  Really it seems to be a gambit for showing this willowy beauty in her barefoot relaxation, her bright robes falling away in patterned layers.  Then, of course, we have a sassy black and white kitten in the mix, who doesn't want to be held right now and doesn't care if she takes a few of those nice robes with her!  She's probably headed for that elegant yarn, you know.