Collected Thirty-six Kyōka Poets - Totoya Hokkei

A woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei depicting a gathering of poets, showcasing the refined aesthetic of Edo-period surimono.

This woodblock print originates from the Kyōka roku roku shū, or Collected Thirty-six Kyōka Poets, a series produced by the artist Totoya Hokkei. Hokkei was a student of Katsushika Hokusai and became a prominent figure in the creation of surimono, which are privately commissioned prints often distributed among poetry circles. These works frequently combined visual art with kyōka, a form of humorous or satirical waka poetry.

The composition depicts a gathering of poets engaged in their craft. The figures are rendered with precise, controlled lines, typical of the surimono style, which prioritised technical refinement and high-quality paper. The scene captures the social nature of these literary circles, where participants would compose and exchange verses. The figures wear traditional Edo-period garments, with subtle patterns and muted colour palettes that reflect the aesthetic preferences of the time. The inclusion of text alongside the figures integrates the literary content directly into the visual field, a common feature of this genre.

As a student of Hokusai, Hokkei adopted a style that balanced realism with the decorative requirements of the woodblock medium. The print demonstrates the technical skill involved in the carving and printing process, particularly in the handling of the fabric patterns and the facial expressions of the poets. This work provides a window into the cultural life of the Edo period, specifically the intellectual activities of the urban merchant and samurai classes who participated in these poetry groups. The print is a representative example of the collaborative nature of Japanese print culture during the early nineteenth century, where artists, poets, and publishers worked in close proximity to produce small-scale, highly finished editions for a discerning audience.