Umbrellas and Geta (Japanese Wooden Sandals)
probably 1816
Medium
Part of an album of woodblock prints (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 7/16 x 3 5/16 in. (13.8 x 8.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
Japan
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
JP2315
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, Japan's Edo period, Ryūryūkyo Shinsai this delicate woodblock print as part of a *surimono* album—a luxurious, privately commissioned format popular among poetry circles and elites. Titled *Umbrellas and GetaJapanese Wooden Sandals)* dated around 1816, the small-scale work (just 5 7/16 x 3 5/16 inches) captures everyday objects with poetic elegance: traditional *geta* clogs, elevated wooden sandals worn to navigate rainy streets or muddy paths, paired with folded umbrellas (*wagasa*), symbols of protection from Japan's frequent showers. Shinsai, a master of the ukiy...
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...