The Seven Herbs (Nanakusa), with Scissors and Teacup
19th century
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
21.2 × 18.5 cm (8 3/8 × 7 5/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81374
Art Historical Context
Teisai Hokuba's *The Seven Herbs (Nanak), with Scissors andacup* is a 19th-century colorblock print, measuring just 21.2 × .5 cm, exemplifying the intimate artistry of ukiyo-e tradition As a pupil of the renowned Katsika Hokusai, Hokuba mastered the vibrant, techniques of woodblock printing layering colors and subtle textures to capture everyday poetry. This surimono luxurious, privately commissioned print often produced for New Year's celebrations—highlights Hokuba's skill in blending whimsy with refinement, typical of Edo-period (1603–1868) print culture. The title evokes the cherished Japa...
About the Artist
Teisai Hokuba · 1771–1844
Teisai Hokuba (1771–1844) was a Japanese artist of the Edo period who worked in the tradition of ukiyo-e, the celebrated school of woodblock prints and paintings that depicted the floating world of urban pleasure, theater, landscape, and daily life. A devoted pupil of Katsushika Hokusai — one of the towering figures in the history of Japanese art — Hokuba adopted the prefix of his master's name as...