The Ashmolean gallery is displaying a number of 18th- and 19th-century woodblock surimono (printed objects) from its own collection alongside new acquisitions, offering a rare insight into Japanese literati culture and customs of the early nineteenth century.
Surimono prints were privately published and circulated by wealthy patrons, often members of poetry societies. The works combined elegant pictures made by leading print designers alongside witty poems – mainly haikus or kyōka (playful verse). Surimono were not intended for public sale and instead catered to the tastes of their small, highly educated audience. This show presents a selection of surimono prints alongside picture calendars and illustrated stories.
Plum Blossom and Green Willow: Surimono Poetry Prints. Ashmolean, Oxford, 2 October 2018 – 17 March 2019
