Bird cage and flowers
early 19th century
Medium
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Dimensions
20.5 × 18.4 cm (8 1/8 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81347
Art Historical Context
**Bird Cage and Flowers** by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, an exquisite early 19th-century color woodblock print, captures the refined elegance of Japan's Edo-period ukiyo-e tradition. as a *shikishiban surimono*—a square-format, privately commissioned print often produced for New Year's greetings or gatherings—this intimate work measures just 20.5 × 18.4 cm, perfect for personal appreciation among the literati class. Shinsai (1768–1848), a master of the genre and follower of Utamaro, specialized in delicate floral and avian motifs, blending poetic beauty with technical virtuosity. The composition juxta...