Cherry Blossoms and a Snail
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 5/8 x 7 1/4 in. (14.3 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
JP2168
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate woodblock print, *Cherry Blossoms and Snail*, created by an unidentified artist in 1816 Japan's Edo period (16151868), captures a serene moment of nature's poetry. Measuring just 5 5/8 x 7 1/4 inches, its intimate scale invites close contemplation. Cherry blossoms, symbols of fleeting beauty in Japanese culture, flutter gracefully, evoking the hanami tradition of springtime appreciation. Juxtaposed with a humble snail, the composition blends ephemerality and persistence, a common motif in Edo-era art that reflects life's transience. As a *surimono*—a luxurious, privately commiss...