Print

This surimono by Ryuryukyo Shinsai is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and represents the artist's characteristic engagement with the small-format, privately commissioned print tradition that flourished in late Edo-period Japan. As a pupil of Katsushika Hokusai and a key member of the Hokusai school, Shinsai contributed extensively to the kyoka poetry-circle surimono that distinguished early nineteenth-century print culture. Surimono differed from commercial nishiki-e in their lavish production values: they were typically issued in smaller editions, printed on thicker hosho paper, and embellished with techniques rarely seen on standard ukiyo-e, including embossed blindprinting (karazuri), metallic pigments, and subtly graded color washes. Shinsai's surimono often paired one or two carefully observed objects, set against a simple ground, with kyoka verses inscribed above by members of the commissioning poetry circle. The result was an integrated visual and literary object intended for private enjoyment among connoisseurs. Even without a more specific title, the sheet exemplifies the qualities for which Shinsai's surimono are admired: a refined composition, an emphasis on tactile and material detail, and a quiet wit that connects everyday subjects to seasonal or poetic associations. Working within the conventions established by Hokusai but developing his own preference for restrained still-life arrangements, Shinsai helped to define the visual character of surimono during the height of their popularity. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/54216.