- An introduction to the art of surimono, illustrated with previously
unpublished examples from the Ashmolean Museum's collections- The works
included here have never-published before in any form- The poems
included in the works have been translated into EnglishBecause money was
no object, surimono usually used the finest materials and printing
techniques. Most consisted of a picture combined with related poems, and
the arrangement of the illustration and the calligraphic text was often
very beautifully designed. Exquisite in design and technique and usually
small in size, surimono have been described as 'jewels of Japanese
printmaking' and have great visual appeal. Despite this, this will be
the first time that the Ashmolean's collection of surimono, mostly from
the Jennings-Spalding Gift and containing a number of rare and
previously unpublished prints, has ever been catalogued.