Japan de luxe – The Art of the Surimono prints examines a particular highlight of Japanese printing. "Surimono" literally means "printed things". This genre of Japanese woodblock printing remains cherished even today, combining profound lyric poetry and playful design to yield unique works of art. Emerging in the early seventeenth century, these prints were produced in small editions, most often to mark the start of a New Year, and intended as gifts or to exchange. The opening of shops, anniversaries, theatre performances, or even remembrance days were occasions for creating surimono.

Japan de luxe presents different forms of surimono, exhibiting the richness of this visual language and the wide variety of styles and printing techniques. Examining these unusual cultural works helps us to understand Japanese society, customs, and material culture in the nineteenth century.