Woman Writing a Letter

Ryûsai Masazumi (mentioned on object), c. 1821

Een vrouw, zittend voor een alkoof (tokonoma) schrijft een lange brief. Met één haiku gedicht.

  • Artwork typeprint, surimono
  • Object numberRP-P-1991-660
  • Dimensionsheight 210 mm x width 187 mm
  • Physical characteristicsnishikie, with metallic pigments and blindprinting

Ryûsai Masazumi

Woman Writing a Letter

Japan, Japan, c. 1821

Provenance

…; purchased from the dealer Kunsthandel Huys den Esch, Dodewaard, by J.H.W. Goslings (1943-2011), Epse, near Deventer, 1989;1Coll. cat. Goslings 1999, p. 36, cat. no. 67 by whom donated to the museum, 1991

Object number: RP-P-1991-660

Credit line: Gift of J.H.W. Goslings, Epse

Context

For other designs of surimono signed Ryusai Masazumi, see:
Nimai no uchi (diptych, 1818 or 18301) -2 Sotheby's London, 8/V1/2004, 440: R: A Chinese warrior on horseback shooting an arrow (into the rock on the left-hand sheet) -3 Ward, Sidney C., One Hundred Surimono in the Collection of Sidney C. Ward. Privately published, 1976, p. 75.;4Kruml, Richard. Surimono, Catalogue 23. London, 1989, p. 38.; L: A tiger sleeping by a rock.

The Amaterasu story (diptych, 1825); R: Usume with jingles greeting the sun -5Graupe, Paul, Japansammlung Exz. Solf† Berlin. Farbenholzschnitte, Surimono, Chawan, Netsuke und Kakemono. Berlin /.../ 19.Juni 1936. Berlin: Paul Graupe, 1936, p. 225); BM 1907,0531,0.541; L: The God Sarutahiko -6Graupe, Paul, Japansammlung Exz. Solf† Berlin. Farbenholzschnitte, Surimono, Chawan, Netsuke und Kakemono. Berlin /.../ 19.Juni 1936. Berlin: Paul Graupe, 1936, p. 225; NME, Leiden, 1353-1958, Japanische Surimono, Sale Catalogue, 10 September-3 October 1987, Vienna: Galerie Zacke 1987, p. 43.

Woman writing a letter -7Boisgirard, Claude and Axel de Heeckeren, Très importante collection de 750 surimono, de calendriers, de nagaye, et d’oban. Paris, Drouot, 12-15 décembre 1977. Paris: 1977, p. 465; Keyes, Roger S., The Art of Surimono. Privately Published Japanese Woodblock Prints and Books in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 2 vols. London: Sotheby’s Publications, 1985, p. 248; Japanische Surimono, Sale Catalogue, 10 September-3 October 1987, Vienna: Galerie Zacke 1987, p. 42; MFA 11.26809.

Ushiwakamaru playing the flute -8Keyes, Roger S., The Art of Surimono. Privately Published Japanese Woodblock Prints and Books in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 2 vols. London: Sotheby’s Publications, 1985, p. 247; Paul F. Walter Collection of Surimono. Privately Commissioned Japanese Prints. New York: Christie's, 23 October 1992, p. 125; BM 1907,0531,0.540.

Two courtiers conversing -9NME, Leiden, 1353-1957.

Standing court lady.

Masazumi was also the illustrator of the Hundred Kyoka, of Successful Poets, Kyoka shusse hyakushu,10Suga, Chikuho, Kyoka shomoku shusei. Kyoto: Rinsen shoten, 1977, p. 73. edited by Dondontei Wataru and issued by the Taikogawa in 1827.

The artist

Biography

Ryusai Masazumi designed a small oeuvre, mainly comprised of surimono and book illustrations. Although often ranked as a follower of Hokusai – some even consider him identical to Katsushika Taito II – nothing is known of his training.

Entry

A woman seated by an alcove, tokonoma, writing a long letter, a potted miniature plum and an adonis in the alcove.

One haiku poem by Ichirinsha Umeeda.

Issued by the poet
Signature reading: Ryusai, with seal: Masazumi

Literature

M. Forrer, Surimono in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Leiden 2013, no. 475

Citation

M. Forrer, 2013, 'Ryûsai Masazumi, Woman Writing a Letter, Japan, c. 1821', in Surimono from the Goslings Collection in the Rijksmuseum, online coll. cat. Amsterdam: https://data.rijksmuseum.nl/200475216

(accessed 15 December 2025 21:54:49).

Footnotes

  • 1Coll. cat. Goslings 1999, p. 36, cat. no. 67
  • 2Sotheby's London, 8/V1/2004
  • 3Ward, Sidney C., One Hundred Surimono in the Collection of Sidney C. Ward. Privately published, 1976, p. 75.
  • 4Kruml, Richard. Surimono, Catalogue 23. London, 1989, p. 38.
  • 5Graupe, Paul, Japansammlung Exz. Solf† Berlin. Farbenholzschnitte, Surimono, Chawan, Netsuke und Kakemono. Berlin /.../ 19.Juni 1936. Berlin: Paul Graupe, 1936, p. 225); BM 1907,0531,0.541
  • 6Graupe, Paul, Japansammlung Exz. Solf† Berlin. Farbenholzschnitte, Surimono, Chawan, Netsuke und Kakemono. Berlin /.../ 19.Juni 1936. Berlin: Paul Graupe, 1936, p. 225; NME, Leiden, 1353-1958, Japanische Surimono, Sale Catalogue, 10 September-3 October 1987, Vienna: Galerie Zacke 1987, p. 43.
  • 7Boisgirard, Claude and Axel de Heeckeren, Très importante collection de 750 surimono, de calendriers, de nagaye, et d’oban. Paris, Drouot, 12-15 décembre 1977. Paris: 1977, p. 465; Keyes, Roger S., The Art of Surimono. Privately Published Japanese Woodblock Prints and Books in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 2 vols. London: Sotheby’s Publications, 1985, p. 248; Japanische Surimono, Sale Catalogue, 10 September-3 October 1987, Vienna: Galerie Zacke 1987, p. 42; MFA 11.26809.
  • 8Keyes, Roger S., The Art of Surimono. Privately Published Japanese Woodblock Prints and Books in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 2 vols. London: Sotheby’s Publications, 1985, p. 247; Paul F. Walter Collection of Surimono. Privately Commissioned Japanese Prints. New York: Christie's, 23 October 1992, p. 125; BM 1907,0531,0.540.
  • 9NME, Leiden, 1353-1957.
  • 10Suga, Chikuho, Kyoka shomoku shusei. Kyoto: Rinsen shoten, 1977, p. 73.