Feather-Brush and Doran with a Netsuke of a Rat - Totoya Hokkei

A refined surimono woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei, depicting a feather-brush, a medicine case, and a rat netsuke, typical of Edo-period poetry circles.

This woodblock print is a fine example of a 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 precise rendering of textures and the balanced composition of disparate objects. The image features a feather-brush, a doran (a portable medicine case), and a small netsuke carved in the shape of a rat.

Surimono prints often functioned as New Year greetings or announcements for poetry circles. The inclusion of calligraphy surrounding the objects suggests that this work was produced for a specific group of poets, with the imagery serving as a visual accompaniment to the verses. The artist employs a refined colour palette, using subtle earth tones alongside the deeper reds and golds of the doran. The composition is deliberately sparse, allowing the viewer to appreciate the individual qualities of each item. The feather-brush is depicted with fine, controlled lines, while the netsuke is rendered with a softer, more delicate touch.

Technically, the print showcases the high standards of Japanese woodblock printing during the early nineteenth century. The registration of the colours is precise, and the paper quality reflects the luxury nature of the surimono format. Hokkei avoids unnecessary ornamentation, focusing instead on the clarity of the forms and the harmony between the text and the illustration. This print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the Edo intellectual class, who valued wit, technical mastery, and the quiet observation of everyday objects. It remains a clear representation of the collaborative nature of Japanese print culture, where artists, poets, and printers worked in concert to produce works of high artistic merit for a discerning audience.