Fan, Bag and Incense-Tube
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 5/8 x 7 1/2 in. (14.3 x 19.1 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
JP2001
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, *Fan, Bag and Incenseube* is a delicate 19th-century woodblock printsurimono) by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). Measuring just 5 5/8 x 7 1/2 inches, this intimate ink and color on paper work exemplifies surimono—privately commissioned prints often created for New Year's greetings or poetry circles. Shinsai's precise carving and vibrant pigments capture everyday elegance, showcasing his renown for refined still lifes that elevate ordinary objects into poetic treasures. ...
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...