{"product_id":"bird-on-a-cherry-branch-and-minamotono-yoshiie-on-horseback-ryuryukyo-shinsai","title":"Bird on a Cherry Branch and Minamotono Yoshiié on Horseback - Ryūryūkyo Shinsai","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined surimono woodblock print by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, featuring a delicate bird on a cherry branch alongside the historical figure Minamotono Yoshiié.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis diptych is a fine example of surimono, a genre of privately commissioned woodblock prints popular among the literati of Edo-period Japan. Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a student of Katsushika Hokusai, demonstrates his mastery of the medium through the precise application of colour and the inclusion of kyōka, or comic verse, which was a standard feature of these exclusive prints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is divided into two distinct panels. On the left, a small bird perches upon a blossoming cherry branch, rendered with delicate attention to the petals and the natural curve of the wood. This panel evokes the seasonal transition of spring, a common theme in Japanese poetry and art. The right panel shifts to a historical subject, depicting the legendary warrior Minamotono Yoshiié on horseback. He is shown in full armour, accompanied by an attendant, beneath the boughs of a pine tree. The contrast between the quiet, naturalistic observation of the bird and the narrative, heroic depiction of the samurai creates a balanced visual dialogue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShinsai utilises a muted, sophisticated palette, typical of the surimono style, which often employed more expensive pigments and techniques than standard commercial prints. The borders are decorated with a repeating geometric pattern, framing the scenes like a folding screen. The inclusion of calligraphy adds a layer of intellectual depth, as the poems were often composed by the patrons themselves or their associates. This print reflects the refined aesthetic sensibilities of the merchant and scholar classes in early nineteenth-century Japan, where art served as a medium for social exchange and poetic expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/view-of-tokyo-snow-scene-utagawa-hiroshige-ii\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eView of Tokyo, Snow Scene - Utagawa Hiroshige II — Utagawa Hiroshige II\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/yokkaichi-view-of-the-mie-river-utagawa-hiroshige-1\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eYokkaichi: View of the Mie River - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ryūryūkyo Shinsai","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58726090342735,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58726099976527,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58726100009295,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58726100042063,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58726100074831,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58726100107599,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58726100140367,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58726100173135,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58726100205903,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58726100238671,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58726100271439,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58726100304207,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Bird-on-a-Cherry-Branch-and-Minamotono-Yoshii-on-Horseback_Poster_CompositorV1_1788963328573.jpg?v=1788963906","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/bird-on-a-cherry-branch-and-minamotono-yoshiie-on-horseback-ryuryukyo-shinsai","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}