Series for the Hanazono Group: Yorozu yoshi (Everything Is All Well)

Surimono, which literally means “printed thing,” is a genre of Japanese print that combines beautiful images with poetry. The surimono on display here is part of a series inspired by Japanese almanacs, which often indicate auspicious days of the calendar to undertake certain activities. Each print in the series shows a woman engaged in a pursuit, with short poems about that activity. The woman here settles in with a pipe to enjoy a book; above her are short verses on reading. 

The artist Totoya Hokkei was originally a fishmonger in Edo (now Tokyo); his surimono were so successful that he was able to quit his day job and devote himself to his art. Today he is credited with designing more surimono than any other artist.