Potted adonis with writing implements

Art Historical Context

Created around 1800 by the Japanese artist Hishikawa Sori III, *Potted Adonis with Writing Implements* is a refined example of a surimono—a privately commissioned color woodblock print. Measuring just over eight by ten inches, this intimate work was designed not for mass sale but for personal distribution, often accompanying New Year greetings or poetry gatherings. Surimono allowed artists to employ luxurious techniques such as metallic pigments, embossing, and delicate color gradations that commercial prints rarely featured. The subject—a potted adonis plant, a harbinger of spring, paired wi...