Surimono

Poetry and image combined

“Surimono (literally 'printed things') constitute one of the most delicate genres in Japanese printmaking. This genre fascinates because it combines poetry and image and because it presents a pictorial puzzle, which provides the viewer with a particular insight into the intellectual and literary world of the late 18th- and early 19th-century Edo (today's Tokyo). Major artists such as Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kunisada, Toyota Hokkei and Yashima Gakutei, to name but a few, provided imagery to accompany the poetic exploits of poetry club members.

Astonishing quality

The prints were circulated among networks of poets and friends and, in contrast to other prints of the period, were not produced for commercial gain. Intricate still lifes, historical and mythical heroes, actors on the stage and tranquil landscapes form a visual partnership with the witty poems (kyōka). The beauty of these prints is enhanced by the astonishing printing quality, including the use of metallic pigments and blindprinting.” (Forrer 2013)

Acquisition of Surimono

The first surimono found its way to the Rijksprentenkabinet in 1950 and 10 more followed in the next 6 years. In 1956 another 11 joined the collection as part of the acquisition of 230 important Japanese prints from the early 18th to the mid-19th century collected by Ferdinand Lieftinck (1879 -1959). The acquisition was made possible with the support of the Rembrandt Society (Vereniging Rembrandt) and the Ministry of Education, Arts and Science (the forerunner of the current Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).

Although the number of surimono doubled with the Lieftinck acquisition, they still formed but a minor part of the museum's collection of Japanese works on paper. This changed in 1958 with the bequest by J.A. Bierens de Haan (1883-1958) of 328 exquisite surimono. More acquisitions and donations followed and with the 345 surimono donated by J.H.W Goslings, the Rijksmuseum is now home to one of the most important collections of surimono in the world.

Notes on the use of this catalogue

A pdf with Notes on the use of this catalogue can be downloaded below, along with an overview of the history of the collecting and cataloguing of the Rijksmuseum’s paintings. Additional attachments (containing among other things a key to abbreviations) can be found under the section ‘Entry’ of the entry pages. Each entry page can be found by scrolling down on the artwork page and clicking on ‘Catalogue entry’ below the image.

We thank

The Goslings NieuwBeerta Fonds / Rijksmuseum Fonds was established in 2000 with the aim to research and expand the Rijksmuseum's collection of Japanese prints and in particular the surimono collection. The position of Curator of Japanese prints is made possible with the support of the Bervoets Fonds / Rijksmuseum Fonds.