Candle-Stand and Fan - Kubo Shunman

A refined surimono woodblock print by Kubo Shunman, featuring a candle-stand and a bamboo-patterned fan accompanied by classical Japanese calligraphy.

This woodblock print by Kubo Shunman is a fine example of surimono, a genre of privately commissioned prints often exchanged among poets and artists in Edo-period Japan. Unlike commercial prints produced for the mass market, surimono were created with high-quality materials, such as metallic pigments and embossed paper, to reflect the refined tastes of their patrons.

The composition features a tall, slender candle-stand positioned beside a folded fan. The fan is decorated with a motif of bamboo, a common symbol of resilience and flexibility in Japanese art. The flame of the candle is rendered with a delicate, flickering quality, suggesting a quiet, domestic interior. The inclusion of calligraphic text, or kyōka (humorous or witty poetry), is a defining characteristic of this format. These poems often provide context for the imagery, linking the visual elements to seasonal themes or specific literary references known to the intended audience.

Shunman was a master of this medium, known for his subtle use of colour and balanced arrangements. The print employs a muted palette, allowing the soft tones of the paper and the gentle ink washes to create a sense of stillness. The negative space surrounding the objects is intentional, drawing the viewer's attention to the simplicity of the subjects. This work demonstrates the technical precision of the carvers and printers who collaborated with Shunman, as the fine lines of the bamboo and the texture of the fan are captured with remarkable clarity. As a piece of ephemera, it offers a glimpse into the sophisticated social circles of the time, where art and literature were closely intertwined in daily life.