Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎

The book by Hokusai is a kyokabon, an illustrated collection of the kyoka poetry (“crazy verse”) that was so often the source for visual imagery and inscribed texts on surimono. Books of this type were produced beginning in the late 18th century.

The prints all illustrate still-life subjects, which first became popular in the early decades of the 19th century, when the square shikishiban surimono format flourished. To show how such objects actually looked, the mirror is exhibited next to a New Year’s surimono depicting a similar object.

This early book by Hokusai is a kyokabon, an illustrated collection of the kyoka poetry (“mad verse”) that was so often the source for the visual imagery and inscribed texts of surimono. Books of this type were widely produced beginning in the late 18th century.

This early book by Hokusai is a kyokabon, an illustrated collection of the kyoka poetry (“mad verse”) that was so often the source for the visual imagery and inscribed texts of surimono. Books of this type were produced beginning in the late 18th century.