Hama-Yumi and Buriburi-Gitcho, Boy's Toys, for the New Year Celebration
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
7 7/8 x 7 3/16 in. (20 x 18.3 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
JP2128
Tags
Art Historical Context
Kubo Shunman's *Hama-Yumi andiburi-Gitcho, Boy's Toys, for New Year Celebration* is delightful 19th-century woodblock print (imono) from Japan's Edo period (16151868). This intimate work, measuring just 7 7/8 x 7 3/16 inches, captures the joy of childhood through traditional boys' toys: the hama-yumi, a toy bow and arrow mimicking samurai weapons, and the buriburiitcho, a playful-making device. Created as a New Year's greeting, surimono like this were privately commissioned luxury prints, often featuring poetry, vibrant colors, and embossing for special occasions. Shunman, a master of ukiyo-e...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820