Artwork
書初め図|Young Woman Writing Calligraphy
書初め図|Young Woman Writing Calligraphy is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kubo Shunman. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Young Woman Writing Calligraphy is a woodblock print created by Kubo Shunman in 1793. The print is a surimono, a type of artwork made from ink and color on paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a woman kneeling on a tatami mat, writing calligraphy with a brush. A poem above her head adds another layer of meaning to the scene. The image is characterized by simple composition and soft colors.
Technique & Style
The print features careful lines and subtle coloration, showcasing the artist's skill with woodblock printing. The use of ink and color on paper creates a delicate, intimate atmosphere.
Context
As a surimono, this print was likely created as a gift for a small group of friends or acquaintances. Surimono were often exchanged within social circles, and the poem on the print would have been meaningful to its intended recipients.
Artist & collection
女官図|Court Woman at her Desk with Poem Cards
Woman Performing the Tea Ceremony
Untitled
Courtesan Seated at a Writing Table
「一陽連文房四友 紙 女凢」『春雨集』 摺物帖 |Nuji (Japanese: Joki; female attendant who compiled writings by Daoist sages); “Paper” (Kami), from Four Friends of the Writing Table for the Ichiyō Poetry Circle (Ichiyō-ren Bunbō shiyū)From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1
Woman Reading a Letter (from the series Seven Episodes in the Life of Komachi in the Floating World)
Untitled
The Courtesan Writing from a Book from the series A Collection of Beautiful Women of the Yoshiwara
Untitled