『浅草側いせ暦』　弓道具『春雨集』　摺物帖|“Bow, Arrows, Target, and Other Outfits for Archery,” from the series Ise Calendars for the Asakusa Group (Asakusa-gawa Ise goyomi)From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 2

Art Historical Context

This exquisite woodblock print by Kubo Shunman, created around 1814 during Japan’s Edo period, belongs to the series *I Calendars for the Asakusa Group*. Produced as a surimono—a privately commissioned print often made for poetry circles—the work features archery equipment, including bow, arrows, and target. These luxurious prints combined fine ink and color on paper with subtle embossing and metallic pigments, reflecting the refined tastes of literary societies like the Asakusa-gawa. Shunman, renowned for his elegant surimono designs, captures the quiet dignity of traditional Japanese archery tools. The composition likely served a dual purpose: as both an artistic celebration of martial culture and a hidden calendar, common in Ise goyomi prints where dates were discreetly embedded in the imagery for group members. Part of the *Spring Rain Collection* (Harusame shū), this piece highlights the intersection of art, poetry, and seasonal ritual in early 19th-century Edo society. Its intimate scale invites close viewing, revealing the meticulous craftsmanship that made such prints treasured among connoisseurs.

About the Artist

Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820

Japanese, 1757–1820