Letter-box and Toothpick Holders

A dark blue lacquered box patterned with gold chrysanthemums and stylized circles dominates the composition, its lid tied with a long, looping mauve-pink cord. In front of it lie two folded paper sheets patterned in small dark motifs on cream and pale yellow grounds, alongside a red paper holder decorated with pale dots and stamped gold crests; columns of Japanese calligraphy fill the tan background above. The 1800 surimono by Totoya Hokkei renders these letter-box and toothpick-holder objects in flat, saturated color against an undecorated ground, without any human figures present.