Glass-Wares with Plum Blossoms - Hachifusa Shūri

A refined Japanese surimono woodblock print featuring a still life of glass vessels and plum blossoms, accompanied by traditional calligraphy.

This woodblock print by Hachifusa Shūri belongs to the genre of surimono, which were privately commissioned prints often exchanged among members of poetry circles. These works typically combine refined imagery with kyōka, a form of humorous or satirical waka poetry. In this composition, the artist presents a still life arrangement featuring glass vessels, a patterned textile, and a delicate sprig of plum blossoms. The objects are placed against a neutral, unadorned background, which allows the subtle forms and muted colour palette to take precedence.

The print demonstrates the technical precision associated with the surimono tradition. The lines are thin and controlled, defining the silhouettes of the glassware and the organic curves of the plum flowers. The composition is flat, avoiding the use of deep perspective to maintain a decorative, balanced arrangement across the paper surface. The inclusion of calligraphy provides a rhythmic visual element that complements the physical objects, integrating text and image into a unified design. The colour scheme is restrained, relying on soft tones of teal, cream, and muted red to create a sense of quietude.

Hachifusa Shūri, while less documented than the major masters of the Edo period, displays a clear command of the aesthetic values prized by the literati of the time. The work reflects a preference for understated elegance and the appreciation of everyday objects elevated through artistic representation. The presence of the artist's seal and the poetic inscriptions suggest this print was intended for a sophisticated audience familiar with the conventions of the period. As a museum-grade fine art print, this piece offers a glimpse into the private artistic exchanges that flourished in nineteenth-century Japan, capturing a moment of stillness and poetic reflection.