New Year Decorations and Tablewares

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection! *New Year Decorations andwares* is a delicate woodblock print (surono) by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition in19th-century Japan during the Edo period (161–1868). Created this festive time, the artwork captures elegant seasonal arrangements, likely featuring symbolic plants like pine boughs plum blossoms alongside ornate tablewares—hallmarks of New Year's celebrations known as *oshogatsu*. These decorations warded off evil spirits and invited prosperity, reflecting Japan's deep-rooted Shinto and Buddhist customs. Surimono, meaning "printed things," were privately commissioned luxury prints, often gifted as New Year's greetings with embedded poems (though not visible here). Shinsai's expertise shines in the intricate *nikawa* (mica) embellishments and vibrant colors applied via woodblock techniques, where carved blocks were inked and pressed onto paper. At just 8 x 7 inches, its intimate scale allowed for exquisite detail, making it a treasured personal artifact rather than mass-produced art. This piece, from the renowned H. O. Havemeyer Collection, highlights the refined aesthetic of Edo Japan's urban culture, blending artistry with everyday rituals. A perfect window into how ordinary moments became poetic celebrations! (198 words)

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...