Fans decorated with motifs of the three auspicious dreams of the New Year
c. 1821
Medium
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Dimensions
20.8 × 18.5 cm (8 1/4 × 7 5/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23591
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), Totoya Hokkei, a pupil of the famed Katsushika Hokusai, crafted this enchanting color woodblock print around 1821. Titled *Fans Decorated with Motifs of the Three Auspicious Dreams of the New Year*, it exemplifies *surimono*—luxurious, privately commissioned prints often produced for New Year's greetings. Printed in the compact *shikishiban* format (roughly 8¼ × 7⅜ inches), these works were treasured as fan-shaped keepsakes, blending artistry with seasonal celebration. The artwork depicts fans adorned with symbols from a cherished Japanese tradition: the "three auspicious dreams" believed to foretell prosperity when dreamed on New Year's Eve. These include Mount Fuji (symbolizing longevity), a hawk perched on pampas grass (strength and success), and clustered eggplants (fertility and abundance), rooted in the legend of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hokkei's delicate composition captures these motifs with refined ukiyo-e techniques, such as precise woodblock carving for vivid colors, metallic pigments, and subtle embossing, evoking the festive optimism of early 19th-century urban life. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print highlights surimono's role in democratizing high art for poetry circles and elites, offering a window into Japan's cultural reverence for dreams, nature, and renewal. A delightful fusion of whimsy and symbolism, it invites visitors to ponder their own hopes for the year ahead.
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...