Wating for the Master
Saika
1860s
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
24.7 × 18.1 cm (9 3/4 × 7 3/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
43161
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In this print, a young woman looks with anticipation through an opening in a curtain. The first line of the first poem, “Waiting for the master . . .” (Nushi o matsu), suggests that she is a student or apprentice waiting for her master to arrive. The names of the poets included in this surimono also emphasize the student-master relationships within this poetry group. Most of the poets have taken on the same first character of the host Rochiku’s name: Rokei, Roteki, Rosui, Romei, and so forth. T...