Decorated Fan for the New Year

Art Historical Context

**Decorated Fan for the New Year** by Ryūūkyo Shinsai captures the festive spirit of Japan's 19th-century New Year celebrations in this exquisite *surimono* wood print. Shinsai, a prominent ukiyo-e artist known for his delicate designs, depicts a fan adorned with birds—symbols of good fortune and renewal—rendered in vibrant ink and color on paper. Measuring just 5½ x 7⅜ inches, its intimate scale evokes a handheld fan, blending artistry with everyday elegance. *Surimono*, or "printed things," were privately commissioned luxury prints often exchanged as New Year's gifts among poets and patrons. Unlike mass-produced ukiyo-e, they featured superior printing techniques, such as embossing and mica dusting for a shimmering effect, showcasing Shinsai's mastery in capturing nature's grace. This piece, part of a rare album, highlights the cultural tradition of seasonal greetings through visual poetry. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department from the H.O. Havemeyer Collection, it reflects Japan's Edo-period refinement, where art intertwined with social rituals. Visitors will appreciate how Shinsai's birds seem poised to take flight, inviting a moment of joyful reflection.

About the Artist

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai · 1799–1823

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (柳々居辰斎), active from 1799 to 1823, was a prominent Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker based in Edo (modern Tokyo), renowned for his mastery of surimono—luxurious, privately commissioned woodblock prints produced for elite poetry circles and New Year's celebrations. He began his training under Tawaraya Sōri before becoming a student of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, from whom he recei...