Woman with book sitting next to a New Year pull toy - Totoya Hokkei

A refined Japanese surimono woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei, depicting a woman reading beside a decorative New Year pull toy.

This woodblock print is a fine example of surimono, a genre of privately commissioned, limited-edition prints popular among the literati of Edo-period Japan. Totoya Hokkei, a student of Katsushika Hokusai, demonstrates his technical skill through the delicate application of colour and the inclusion of calligraphic poetry. The composition features a woman seated in a relaxed posture, engaged with a book. Beside her hangs a decorative New Year pull toy, rendered with attention to its patterned surface and miniature landscape imagery.

Surimono prints were often produced for special occasions, such as the New Year, and were exchanged among friends and poetry circles. The paper quality and printing techniques, including the use of metallic pigments and embossing, distinguish these works from mass-produced commercial prints of the era. The woman's kimono displays a subtle, repeating pattern, while the pull toy provides a secondary focus, balancing the figure. The inclusion of text, integrated into the upper portion of the print, reflects the cultural practice of combining visual art with classical or contemporary verse. Hokkei's work here captures a quiet, domestic moment, typical of the refined aesthetic favoured by the patrons of these exclusive prints. The muted palette and clean lines are characteristic of the surimono style, which prioritised artistic experimentation and high-quality materials. This print offers a glimpse into the private artistic exchanges that defined the social life of the Edo urban elite.