Arranged Flowers for New Year
19th century
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
21.3 × 19.1 cm (8 7/16 × 7 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81280
Art Historical Context
"Arranged Flowers for New" is a delicate 19th-century colorblock print by Keis Eisen, a prominent Japanese artist of the ukiyo-e known for his elegant depictions of beauties, landscapes, and everyday scenes. Created as a *surimono*—a luxurious, privately commissioned print often produced for special occasions like the New Year—this intimate work measures just 21.3 × 19.1 cm, perfect for personal gifting or display in a home alcove. Surimono like this one highlight the pinnacle of Edo-period printing techniques, with vibrant colors layered through multiple woodblocks, subtle embossing, and som...
About the Artist
Keisai Eisen · 1790–1848
Keisai Eisen (1790–1848), born Ikeda Yoshinobu in Edo (modern Tokyo), emerged as one of the late Edo period's most prolific ukiyo-e masters. The son of the renowned calligrapher and Kanō-school painter Ikeda Shigeharu, Eisen was immersed in the arts from childhood. He apprenticed under Kanō Hakkeisai, adopting the art name "Keisai" in homage to his teacher, and later studied bijin-ga (images of be...