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Puppies and New Year Pine Tree

Puppies and New Year Pine Tree

(Japanese, 1797–1858)
1838 (Tenpô 9)
Medium/TechniqueWoodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions15 x 18.7 cm (5 7/8 x 7 3/8 in.)
Credit LineWilliam Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession number11.20246
On View
Not on view
ClassificationsPrints
Description
Privately commissioned prints such as this one were known as surimono and were sometimes given to friends as a small New Year gift, somewhat like a modern greeting card.  Since they were made according to the special orders of customers, they often included special printing techniques such as the embossing on the fur of the two puppies playing beside a New Year pine tree.  The year 1838, written at the left side of the print, was of course a Year of the Dog.
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.