Woman Cutting Her Nails after GatHering Herbs
19th century
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 3/16 x 7 5/16 in. (20.8 x 18.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
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
JP2134
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Kubo Shunman's *Woman Cutting Her Nails after Herbs* captures a quiet moment of everyday grace. Created in the 19th century, this woodblock print (surono) showcases a woman in traditional attire, tending to her nails post-harvest, her herb basket nearby. Shunman, a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world"—excelled in luxurious, privately commissioned prints, often produced for poetry societies or New Year's greetings, blending artistry with subtle literary elegance. Surimono like this one stand out for their refined techniques...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820