Books and Brush-Stand
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 5/16 x 7 1/4 in. (21.1 x 18.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1996
Tags
Art Historical Context
Kubo Shunman's *Books and Brush-Stand is a delicate 19th-century woodblock print Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), exemplifying the intimate art of *surimono*. These small, privately commissioned prints, measuring just 8 5/16 x 7 1/4 inches, were often created for poetry gatherings or New Year's celebrations among literati. Rendered in vibrant ink and color on paper, the work captures a scholar's desk essentials—stacked books and an elegant brush-stand—evoking the refined world of intellectual pursuit. Shunman, a versatile ukiyo-e master known for his poetry and painting, elevated *surimono* wi...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820