Designs of Writing-Paper with Flowers
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 5/8 x 7 7/16 in. (14.3 x 18.9 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
JP1990
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the elegant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Ryūryūkyo Shinsai's *Designs of Writing-P with Flowers* (19th century) captures the refined artistry of surimono—luxurious, privately commissioned woodblock prints. This intimate woodblock print, rendered in vibrant ink and color on paper measures just 5⅝ × 7⁷/₁₆ inches, perfect for personal stationery. Shinsai, a master ukiyo-e floral motifs, adorns the sheet with blooming flowers and leaves, evoking the transient beauty of nature cherished in Japanese aesthetics. Surimono like this one were often produced for poetry circles, New Year's g...
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...