Bonsai Plum, Compass, and Pocket Sundial with Design of Calendar, from Spring Rain Surimono Album (Harusame surimono-jō, vol. 3) 1806

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai created this woodblock print, entitled ‘Bonsai Plum, Compass, and Pocket Sundial with Design of Calendar,’ in Japan in the early 19th century. The items depicted here – a bonsai plum, a compass, a sundial, and a calendar – symbolize the meticulousness, precision, and attention to detail prized by Japanese society at the time. This image creates meaning through its visual codes, which represent cultural references and historical associations. The objects in the image are indicative of the increasing commercialization and urbanization of Japanese society during this period, also known as the Edo period. Artisans and merchants gained more economic power. This print reflects the culture of artistic patronage that developed at that time. Historians interpret art by using research resources, such as historical documents and cultural studies, to better understand its social and institutional context. The meaning of art depends on its social and institutional context, and historians play an important role in understanding it.