Papier-Mache Fish and Various Vegetables - Takashima Chiharu

A refined Japanese surimono woodblock print by Takashima Chiharu, featuring a papier-mache fish and fresh vegetables alongside traditional calligraphy.

This woodblock print by Takashima Chiharu belongs to the surimono genre, a form of privately commissioned Japanese print often distributed among poetry circles. Surimono prints are distinct for their high production quality, frequently utilising metallic pigments, embossing, and fine paper. This specific work depicts a collection of objects arranged on a flat surface, including a papier-mache fish and an assortment of vegetables such as an aubergine and ginger root. The composition is sparse, allowing the negative space of the paper to define the arrangement.

The inclusion of calligraphic text suggests this print was created to accompany a kyoka poem, a humorous or satirical form of waka poetry popular during the Edo period. The artist employs a restrained colour palette, relying on soft washes and precise outlines to render the textures of the produce and the decorative scales of the fish. The lack of heavy shading or deep perspective is characteristic of the aesthetic priorities of the time, which favoured clarity and symbolic representation over realistic depth.

Takashima Chiharu, while less documented than the major masters of the ukiyo-e school, demonstrates the technical proficiency expected of artists working within the surimono tradition. The print functions as a visual accompaniment to the literary content, with the objects serving as motifs that likely relate to the themes of the poem. The paper texture remains visible, adding a tactile quality to the image. This print provides a view into the cultural practices of the Japanese literati, where art and poetry were integrated into daily life through these small, refined objects. The work is a clear example of the attention to detail and material quality that defined the surimono medium during the late Edo period.