Four Hermits of Shozan
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 3/16 x 7 1/4 in. (20.8 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
JP2099
Tags
Art Historical Context
Yashima Gakutei'sFour Hermits of Shan* is a delicate 19th-century woodblock print from Edo period (16151868), exemplifying the intimate art form of *surimono*. privately commissioned prints, often produced for New Year's greetings or circles, were prized for their refined craftsmanship and small scale—here, just 8 3/16 x 7 1/4 inches. Gakutei, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, specialized in such luxurious works, blending vibrant inks and colors on paper to evoke poetic serenity. The image portrays four hermits from Shozan (likely a sacred mountain retreat), embodying Japan's cultural revere...
About the Artist
Yashima Gakutei · 1786–1868
Yashima Gakutei (c. 1786–1868), born in Osaka as the illegitimate son of a Tokugawa shogunate samurai named Hirata, adopted the name from his mother's subsequent marriage into the Yashima clan. Little is documented about his early years beyond these familial ties, but he pursued artistic training under the esteemed ukiyo-e masters Totoya Hokkei and Katsushika Hokusai, absorbing their precision in ...