Utensils with Decorations for the New Year
19th century
Medium
Part of an album of woodblock prints (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
7 11/16 x 6 9/16 in. (19.5 x 16.7 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
JP2375
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Utensils with Decor for the New Year" a charming 19th-century woodblock print byūryūkyo Shinsai, a master the Japanese ukiyo-e tradition Part of a luxurious surimono album—privately commissioned prints often exchanged among poetry circles during New Year's celebrations—this intimate work (7 11/16 x 6 9/16 in.) captures the festive spirit of Japan's Edo period. Surimono like this one were produced with exceptional craftsmanship, using vibrant inks, colors, and sometimes metallic pigments or embossing to evoke joy and prosperity. The composition features everyday utensils adorned with elaborat...
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...