Parrot and Bells

About this artwork

Tanaka Shutei, a painter and print designer, created a design of an exotic pet parrot on a metal stand for the haiku poet Kyuso, who seems to have been the leader of various poetry groups. In each of these three prints, Kyuso chose to repeat the same basic design, although he was celebrating poetry collections by different groups on different occasions. He appears as host in every print, but he supplied a separate poem for each, and the other members were also different. The repetition of desig...

Art Historical Context

"Parrot and Bells" by Tanaka Shutei is a delicate color woodblock print classified as a surimono, a format traditionally created for private commissions in Japan. Measuring just 24.6 by 18.4 centimeters, this intimate work invites close viewing, typical of surimono designed to accompany poetry or mark seasonal celebrations. Its placement in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Arts of Asia collection highlights its role within the rich tradition of Japanese printmaking. Surimono prints were prized for their refined craftsmanship, often involving multiple carved blocks to achieve layered colors and subtle textures. Created outside the commercial market, they allowed artists greater freedom to explore subjects like birds, flowers, and still lifes with poetic elegance. Tanaka Shutei’s composition likely draws on these conventions, using the parrot and bells as symbols that evoke grace and festivity. As a woodblock print, the piece demonstrates the precision and artistry of this medium, where each color is printed separately to build depth and luminosity. Such works continue to offer modern viewers a window into Japan’s cultural appreciation for nature, seasonality, and refined visual poetry.