Leather Purse with a Buckle in the Shape of a Puppy - Ryūgetsusai Shinkō

A delicate Japanese woodblock print depicting a decorative leather purse with a puppy-shaped buckle, accompanied by elegant calligraphy.

This woodblock print by Ryūgetsusai Shinkō depicts a leather purse, rendered with careful attention to the texture of the material and the decorative patterns adorning its surface. The purse features a distinctive buckle shaped like a small puppy, a whimsical detail that suggests the personal taste of the owner or the playful nature of the commission. The surrounding fabric, draped beneath the object, displays a repeating pattern that contrasts with the floral motifs on the purse itself.

As a surimono, this work belongs to a genre of privately commissioned prints, often distributed among members of poetry clubs or artistic circles. These prints were produced with high-quality materials, such as metallic pigments and embossed paper, to demonstrate the sophistication of the patron. The inclusion of calligraphic text at the top of the composition indicates that the image was likely created to accompany a poem or a series of verses, integrating visual art with literary expression.

The composition is flat, prioritising the decorative arrangement of the purse and the surrounding cloth over three-dimensional space. The artist employs a muted palette, relying on subtle variations of tone to define the forms. The fine lines used to delineate the floral patterns and the puppy buckle demonstrate the technical skill required for woodblock carving during the Edo period. This print provides a glimpse into the material culture of the time, documenting the fashion and accessories favoured by the urban elite. By focusing on a singular, everyday object, the artist elevates a functional item into a subject of aesthetic contemplation, typical of the refined sensibilities found in surimono prints.