Surimono 1840

This Surimono print was created by Utagawa Kunisada in Japan. Notice the shamisen, a three-stringed musical instrument, resting alongside what appear to be stacked boxes on a vibrant red cloth. The shamisen, deeply rooted in Japanese culture, carries echoes of the snake-skinned sanxian from China. The instrument, and the boxes have meaning beyond their practical use. The presence of the shamisen evokes a world of theater, music, and the geisha tradition, a conduit for emotion and storytelling. Similarly, boxes, often linked with trade and secrecy, can be used to evoke the exchange of goods and ideas. The emotion felt is the same that the troubadours of medieval Europe or the griots of West Africa have transmitted for generations. It is a continuous thread linking disparate cultures through the power of music and symbol.