Two Young Ladies Having Tea Attended by Elderly Servant

Art Historical Context

In the serene world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Ryūryūkyo Shinsai's *Two Young Ladies Having Tea Attended by Elderly Servant captures a moment of refined domesticity. This intimate woodblock print, or *surimono*, depicts two elegant young women enjoying tea, gracefully attended by an elderly servant, with delicate teapots at the center. Created in an unknown date but typical of Shinsai's around the early 19th century, the small format (5 7/16 x 7 3/8 in.) reflects *surimono*'s luxury—privately commissioned prints for elite patrons, often featuring poetry or New Year's greetings, distinguished by vibrant colors, fine lines, and subtle embossing. Shinsai, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition ("pictures of the floating world"), specialized in *bijin-ga* (images of beautiful women), blending realism with poetic elegance. The scene highlights social hierarchies and leisure rituals, evoking Japan's tea culture amid urban prosperity. Woodblock techniques—carved blocks inked with pigments and printed on handmade paper—allowed for exquisite detail, from flowing kimonos to steaming tea vessels. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's H. O. Havemeyer Collection, this print offers a window into fleeting joys of everyday life, celebrating femininity and hospitality in a time of cultural flourishing.

About the Artist

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai · 1799–1823

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (柳々居辰斎), active from 1799 to 1823, was a prominent Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker based in Edo (modern Tokyo), renowned for his mastery of surimono—luxurious, privately commissioned woodblock prints produced for elite poetry circles and New Year's celebrations. He began his training under Tawaraya Sōri before becoming a student of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, from whom he recei...