The Dream of the Bell, Birthday Greeting for a Priest on his 96th Anniversery
early 19th century
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
20.8 × 18.8 cm (8 1/4 × 7 7/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81670
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, Japan's Edo period, artist Ryuryukyo Shinsai crafted *The Dream of the Bell Birthday Greeting for a Priest his 96th Anniversary*, a delicate color woodblock print known as a *surimono*. Measuring just 20.8 × 18.8 cm, this intimate work from the Art Institute of Chicago Arts of Asia collection celebrates and spiritual devotion. Shinsai, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, specialized in these luxurious, privately commissioned prints, often featuring poetry and seasonal motifs to honor personal milestones like birthdays. Surimono, meaning "printed things," were elite a...