Books of Flowers and a Writing Brush

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, *Books of Flowers and a Brush* is a delicate 19th-century woodblock (surimono) by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a of Japan's ukiyo-e tradition Measuring just 8 x 7¼ inches, this intimate ink and color on paper work captures stacks of floral books alongside a writing brush, evoking the refined worlds of flower painting, calligraphy, and poetry. Surimono prints like this one were luxurious, privately commissioned pieces, often produced for New Year's greetings or poetry societies among Japan's literati elite. Shinsai, active in the late Edo period, excelled in these small-format gems, employing precise woodblock techniques for vibrant colors, subtle gradients, and sometimes embossed textures that heightened their tactile appeal. Unlike mass-produced ukiyo-e, surimono showcased exceptional craftsmanship and personalization. The composition celebrates scholarly harmony—flowers symbolizing nature's fleeting beauty, books as repositories of artistic knowledge, and the brush as a tool of creation. Part of the famed H. O. Havemeyer Collection, this print invites us to savor Japan's Edo-era elegance, where everyday objects bloom into profound cultural poetry.

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...