Een vergelijking van Genroku gedichten en schelpen
Medium
color woodcut
Dimensions
201; 174
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Een surimono is een luxe uitgevoerde prent waarop beeld met één of meerdere gedichten gecombineerd is. Bij het drukken van een surimono werd vaak gebruik gemaakt van dikker papier, blinddruk en metaal pigmenten, zoals koper- en zilverpoeder. De prenten werden vaak in opdracht van dichters gemaakt en als exclusief geschenk aan vrienden en relaties gegeven.
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokusai's *Een vergelijking van Gen gedichten en schel* (A Comparison of Genroku Poems and Shell), created in 1821, is a exquisite color woodcut measuring just 201mm by 174mm. As a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" tradition—Hokusai captured everyday beauty and poetic whimsy during Japan's Edo period. This intimate print exemplifies his skill in blending intricate imagery with literary elegance, drawing parallels between the refined verses of the Genroku era (1688–1704) and the delicate forms of seashells. This work is a *surimono*, a luxurious privately commissioned print that fuses visual art with poetry. Produced on thicker paper with embossed effects (blinddruk) and shimmering metallic pigments like copper and silver powders, surimono were elite New Year's gifts exchanged among poets, scholars, and friends. Far from mass-produced, they highlight the woodblock technique's precision: multiple carved blocks inked in vibrant colors and layered for depth. Hokusai's design likely juxtaposes shell motifs with poetic inscriptions, evoking the era's haikai traditions and nature's metaphors. In Japanese culture, such prints bridged art and literature, celebrating transience and harmony. Hokusai's contribution underscores ukiyo-e's evolution into personalized treasures, offering visitors a glimpse into 19th-century Japan's refined social rituals.
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...