書初め図|Young Woman Writing Calligraphy
1793
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
About the artist
1793
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
書初め図|Young Woman Writing Calligraphy is a 1793 ink by Kubo Shunman, a Romanticism work, depicting Calligraphy, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
A woman in a patterned robe kneels on a tatami mat, writing with a brush on a spread of paper. Next to her is a small inkwell with brushes, and a bamboo plant leans against the wall. The scene is simple, with soft colors and careful lines. This print was made as a special gift for friends—surimono were often shared in small groups. The poem above her head adds meaning, but you’d need to know Japanese to read it. Look up surimono next to see how these intimate prints worked in Japanese culture.
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