Still Life: Double Cherry-Blossom Branch, Telescope, Sweet Fish, and Tissue Case
ca. 1804–13
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 1/8 x 10 11/16 in. (20.6 x 27.1 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
JP1870
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsushika Hokusai crafted this exquisite *Still Life: Double Cherry-Bloss Branch, Telescope, Sweet Fish, and Tissue Case around 1804–13. A master of ukiyo-e—"pictures of the floating world"—okusai is best known for dynamic landscapes like *The Great Wave off Kawa*, but this intimate woodblock print showcases his early versatility in still life compositions. Printed as a *surimono*, a luxurious, privately commissioned format often exchanged as New Year's greetings, it measures just 8⅛ x 10⅞ inches, perfect for personal appreciation. The sc...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...