Crab and Rice Plant
19th century
Medium
Part of an album of woodblock prints (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 1/8 x 7 3/16 in. (13 x 18.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
Japan
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
JP2307
Tags
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokus, the legendary Japanese artist renowned for his ukiyo-e woodblock like *The Great Wave off Kawa*, created *Crab and Rice Plant in the 19th as part of a surimono album. Surono were luxurious, privately commissioned prints, often produced for New Year's celebrations or poetry gatherings, featuring intricate designs, embossed textures, and vibrant colors applied through meticulous woodblock carving and printing techniques. This intimate work, measuring just 5 1/8 x 7 3/16 inches, showcases Hokusai's mastery in ink and color on paper, capturing nature's delicate harmony. The prin...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...