The powerful nobleman Fujiwara Michinaga was the de facto ruler of Japan in the early 11th century. His large, handsome dog is the breed known today as Akita. The dog’s thick fur is represented by embossing, a typical example of the special printing techniques used for the privately commissioned prints called surimono. Because these prints were made to special order, they could be as lavishly designed and printed as the patron desired.

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