Box for Sugoroku Game (A Kind of Backgammon), Bow and Drum
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 1/4 x 7 1/4 in. (21 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
JP1984
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woodblock print by Kubo Shunman, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition in 19th-century, depicts a decorative box for sugoroku—a traditional board game akin to backgammon, chance and strategy for festive entertainment. Titled *Box for Sugoroku (A Kind of Backmon), Bow and Drum it captures playful motifs like bows and drums, evoking rhythmic joy of games and music during the Edo period (1615–1868). Produced as a *surimono*—a luxurious, privately commissioned print often shared among poetry circles—the work measures a compact 8¼ x 7¼ inches, perfect for intimate appreciation. Surimono...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820