Poppies, with Poem by Masaoka Shiki

Throughout traditional Japanese culture there has been a profound reverence of nature. Man is viewed as a part of nature, not apart from it. This outlook was manifested in the traditional arts, including the artwork made for woodblock printing. Flowers were appreciated for their ephemeral beauty, and appeared as part of landscapes, floral patterns on fabrics, adornments, and could be the centrepiece an entire artwork. Bird and flower prints, known as Kacho-e (花鳥絵), gave a closer look at the intricacies of each species and underscored a particular season. Poppies are closely associated with the spring, and mark the transition into summer.

Floral depictions were greatly enhanced by the application of multiple colours in the late 1700s. This development was welcomed by the public who bought ukiyo-e (floating world prints). The need for each colour to have its own hand-carved block meant the workshop production became more complex, and raised the importance of coordination between artist, carver, and the printer.

The Haikus of Shiki

Masaoka Shiki was a poet of the Meiji era and is considered among the great masters of Haiku. After moving to Tokyo he worked with Nippon Newspaper and edited a Haiku magazine called Hototogisu (Cuckoo). He particularly favoured realistic observations of nature, and advocated for innovations that would revitalise the writing of haiku. His efforts likely helped ensure the genre’s continuation while Japanese society was being exposed to western artistic culture.

Poppies (2024) is part of an ongoing exploration of Japanese visual culture. The featured poem is by Shiki:

風ふけば
けしの花散る
夕べかな

When the wind blows,
poppies scatter —
evening.

Screen printed onto high quality 300gsm paper, this limited edition has been hand printed by the artist. The square format is equal to a 12 inch record sleeve, and can be easily framed. Available to order via the online shop.