{"product_id":"cherry-shell-from-the-series-genroku-poetry-shell-games-katsushika-hokusai","title":"Cherry Shell, from the series Genroku Poetry Shell Games - Katsushika Hokusai","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined woodblock print from Hokusai's Genroku Poetry Shell Games series, depicting a spring travel scene with delicate lines and muted colours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print belongs to the series Genroku Poetry Shell Games, a collection of surimono produced by Katsushika Hokusai in the early 1820s. Surimono were privately commissioned prints, often distributed among poetry circles to celebrate special occasions or literary gatherings. Unlike commercial prints intended for mass consumption, these works utilised high-quality paper and refined printing techniques, such as metallic pigments and embossing, to achieve a sophisticated finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition depicts a scene of travel and social interaction. A group of figures, including porters carrying a palanquin, pauses in a rural setting. The presence of cherry blossoms suggests the season of spring, a common motif in Japanese poetry and art. Hokusai balances the human activity with the natural environment, placing the figures against a backdrop of rolling hills and grazing animals. The inclusion of calligraphy at the top of the print integrates the visual image with the literary theme of the series, as the text provides context for the specific shell game or poetic reference being commemorated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHokusai demonstrates his ability to capture movement and character within a compact frame. The figures are rendered with clear, controlled lines, and the colour palette remains restrained, relying on soft earth tones and muted blues to maintain a sense of harmony. The print reflects the cultural interests of the Edo period, where the appreciation of classical literature and seasonal change informed the artistic output of the merchant class and intellectual circles. By combining the precision of the woodblock medium with the narrative quality of the genre scene, Hokusai provides a glimpse into the social customs of the time. This print remains a representative example of the surimono format, showing the technical skill and aesthetic sensibilities associated with Hokusai's middle period.\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\/mount-goten-from-the-illustrated-book-statue-of-fugen-fugen-zo-kitagawa-utamaro\" 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;\"\u003eMount Goten, from the illustrated book Statue of Fugen (Fugen-zo) - Kitagawa Utamaro — Kitagawa Utamaro\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-third-month-sangatsu-suzuki-harunobu\" 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;\"\u003eThe Third Month (Sangatsu) - Suzuki Harunobu — Suzuki Harunobu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Katsushika Hokusai","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113009119567,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113022947663,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59113022980431,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Cherry-Shell-from-the-series-Genroku-Poetry-Shell-Games_Poster_CompositorV1_1791917544822.jpg?v=1791917886","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/cherry-shell-from-the-series-genroku-poetry-shell-games-katsushika-hokusai","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}