『春雨集』　摺物帖柳々居辰斎画　若松|Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 2: Pine Shoots and Accoutrements for New Year’s Celebrations

Art Historical Context

Nestled within the luxurious tradition of Edo-period Japan, *Spring Rain Collection (Harame shū)*, volume 2, by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (active late 18th–early 19th century captures the fresh vitality of pine shoots (*wakamatsu*) alongside New Year’s celebratory accoutrements These privately published woodblock prints, known as *surim*, were mounted in an elegant album format, measuring a intimate 5 7/16 x 7 3/8 inches. Produced in the 19th century during the Edo period (1615–1868), they exemplify ukiyo-e artistry at its refined peak, blending ink and vibrant colors on paper to evoke seasonal renewal. *Surimono* like these were commissioned for elite patrons, often for New Year’s greetings, featuring high-quality printing techniques such as embossing, mica dusting, and precise color registration—rarer and more opulent than commercial prints. Shinsai, a master of this genre, infused the composition with delicate leaves and flowers, symbolizing longevity and auspicious beginnings; pine shoots, evergreen even in spring rain, embodied enduring youth and prosperity in Japanese culture. A gem from the H. O. Havemeyer Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this album invites visitors to savor the poetic intimacy of private Japanese printmaking, bridging art, poetry, and seasonal ritual in a single, treasured volume.

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...