Red and White Plum Blossoms with Poem Slip c. 1810

This work by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a prominent artist of the early 19th century, depicts a delicate arrangement of plum blossoms in a vase. The vase is crafted in a classic blue and white porcelain style and sits on a black stand. The branches of the blossoms are delicately rendered in shades of pink and white, a testament to Shinsai's masterful use of color and line. The artist's keen attention to detail extends to the poem slip placed on a nearby platform. The delicate rendering of the blossoms, vase, and poem slip embodies a key theme of beauty and refinement in Japanese art, commonly associated with the *ukiyo-e* genre.