The Proper Way of Drinking New Year's Sake (Toso no miki namesomuru tei), from the series "Teaching Manners According to the Colors of the Spring (Shunshoku shitsukekata)"
c. 1807
Medium
Colro woodblock print; koban, surimono
Dimensions
19.8 × 8.5 cm (7 13/16 × 3 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
60687
Art Historical Context
Kubo Shunman's *The Proper Way of Drinking Year's Sake (T no miki namesom tei)*, created around 1807, is a charming color woodblock print from his *Teaching Manners According to the of the Spring (Shshoku shitsukekata)*. As a master of ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" genre, Shunman delighted in capturing everyday elegance and whimsy during Japan's Edo period. This intimate *koban* format—measuring just 19.8 × 8.5 cm—makes it a pocket-sized gem, perfect for personal appreciation. The scene illustrates the refined etiquette for sipping *toso*, a spiced, medicinal sake traditionall...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820