Artwork

衝立、虎図、文具一式|Desk Screen, Writing Set, Painting of Tiger, and Mounting Paraphernalia, from Spring Rain Surimono Album (Harusame surimono-jō, vol. 1)

衝立、虎図、文具一式|Desk Screen, Writing Set, Painting of Tiger, and Mounting Paraphernalia, from Spring Rain Surimono Album (Harusame surimono-jō, vol. 1) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Ryūryūkyo Shinsai. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of three small privately issued woodblock prints assembled in an album titled *Spring Rain* (Harusame surimono‑jō, vol.

About this work

Overview

The work consists of three small privately issued woodblock prints assembled in an album titled *Spring Rain* (Harusame surimono‑jō, vol. 1). Executed around 1818 by the Edo‑period artist Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, the prints depict a desk screen, a writing set, and a tiger beside a scholar’s desk. They are part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The images present a quiet scholarly scene: a cloaked figure illuminates a tabletop with a lantern, a red brush holder and writing box sit beside a folded fan, and a tiger rests beside ink brushes, suggesting a juxtaposition of literary activity and the natural world. The composition reflects the Edo elite’s appreciation for both calligraphy and the symbolic power of the tiger.

Technique & Style

Created as surimono, the prints employ fine woodblock carving combined with hand‑applied ink and color on paper, allowing for intricate details such as the tiger’s striped tail and the precise arrangement of brushes. The limited edition nature of surimono enabled the artist to achieve a high level of refinement not typical of mass‑produced ukiyo‑e.

History & Provenance

Shinsai produced these prints as personalized gifts for acquaintances rather than for commercial distribution, a common practice for surimono in the early nineteenth century. The album later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as part of their Japanese prints holdings.

Context

During the late Edo period, literati culture flourished among merchant and samurai patrons who valued objects that combined aesthetic appeal with scholarly function. The inclusion of a tiger—a motif associated with courage and protection—alongside writing implements underscores the period’s intertwining of artistic taste and moral symbolism.