Japan de luxe. The Art of the Surimono Prints
26 Sep 2025 — 12 Jul 2026 at Museum Rietberg
· Zurich
Japan de luxe. The Art of the Surimono Prints is an art exhibition at Museum Rietberg Zurich dedicated to the surimono, among the most refined and luxurious objects produced in Japanese printmaking.
Surimono — literally "printed things" — were privately commissioned woodblock prints created for special occasions such as the New Year, poetry gatherings, and theatrical celebrations. Unlike commercial ukiyo-e prints, surimono were produced in small editions for a cultivated elite, allowing artists and craftsmen to push the boundaries of technique: lavish applications of metallic pigments, blind embossing, and intricate surface textures set them apart as objects of exceptional beauty.
The exhibition invites visitors to discover the artistry, poetry, and social world behind these intimate masterpieces of the Edo and Meiji periods.
Surimono — literally "printed things" — were privately commissioned woodblock prints created for special occasions such as the New Year, poetry gatherings, and theatrical celebrations. Unlike commercial ukiyo-e prints, surimono were produced in small editions for a cultivated elite, allowing artists and craftsmen to push the boundaries of technique: lavish applications of metallic pigments, blind embossing, and intricate surface textures set them apart as objects of exceptional beauty.
The exhibition invites visitors to discover the artistry, poetry, and social world behind these intimate masterpieces of the Edo and Meiji periods.
About the venue
Museum Rietberg
· Zurich
The Rietberg Museum is a museum in Zürich, Switzerland, displaying Asian, African, American and Oceanian art. It is the largest art museum focusing on non-European art and design in Switzerland, the third-largest museum in Zürich, and the largest to be run by the city itself. In 2007, it received…
