Peonies at Twilight, with Corresponding Poem by Takahama Kyoshi

Traditional Japanese woodblock prints were usually created through collaboration between the artist, carver, printer, and publisher. And though motifs did recur, these works were not homogenous. There has been a longstanding typology which acknowledges different pictorial subjects, formal treatment, and the mode of production.

For this way of printing, each colour used would need its own block to be carved. Though early prints typically used up to three inks, the number later grew for artwork comprised of multiple colours. These ‘Nishiki-e’ would set the stage for the rising popularity of prints. One designer of woodblock artwork who contributed greatly toward this was Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770). Many of his prints have a solid single-colour background, a technique called ‘tsubushi’.

The inclusion of poetry was not uncommon among privately commissioned ‘surimono’ works. With these woodblocks the carving of kanji characters was especially challenging. As standard, seasonal themes were referenced in haiku, foregrounding the connection between poetry and nature.

Artwork with Poetry

The poetry of Takahama Kyoshi is exemplary in connecting haiku with the seasons, which extended to his editorial role at Hototogisu haiku magazine.

Peonies at Twilight (2024) is part of an ongoing exploration of Japanese visual culture. The featured poem is one of summer:
夏の蝶  眼鋭く  駆けり来し

The clear day in the rainy season.
The madder red of evening twilight
And instantly fades.

Giclée printed onto archival quality 308gsm Hahnemule paper, this unique art-print is available framed. Drop an email if interested.

Ginkgo Under Autumn Rain, with Featured Poem by Natsume Sôseki

In bygone Japan it was not uncommon for privately commissioned woodblock prints, known as surimono (摺物), to incorporate poetry. The one here is by the acclaimed writer Natsume Sôseki (夏目 漱石 1867-1916) whose works are considered to have an enduring influence on Japanese literature in the modern era. Here he writes of the colour blue, how it sets in with Autumn, not unlike  the dying of woven pattern fabric;

Autumn begins,
The deep blue settles —
Iyo kasuri

Around this time is when the Autumn rain appears (Akisame 秋雨). In woodblock printing the indication of rain was no easy feat, and placed particular demand on the carver tasked with etching countless parallel streams. As the season takes hold, the leaves of the indigenous ginkgo tree turn from green to golden yellow.

Tradition in the Making

As with Western wood engraving, woodblock printing was the accepted technology of its day. And similarly it required the collective intentionality among the contributors: artist 浮世絵師, carver 刀師, printer 摺師, and a publisher 版元. In the case of surimono, a poet might also be sought out by the commissioner. Printing this way has long been surpassed by photomechanical engraving and lithography. Nonetheless, it is a tradition that has been preserved remarkably well.

Ginko Under Autumn Rain is part of an ongoing exploration of eastern visual culture. Giclée printed onto archival quality 308gsm Hahnemule paper, this unique art-print comes framed. Drop an email if interested.

What Meaning can be Found Within the Peony Print

The Peony Print acknowledges the ongoing global influence of traditional and contemporary Japanese artwork. Known as 花言葉 (Hanakotoba), meanings are assigned to different flowers. In this language, peonies denote prosperity, bravery, and prestige. The decorative print also features the Kanji of a commonly recognised idiom, 見ぬが花 (Minu Ga Hana). Translated as ‘not seeing is a flower’, the underlying meaning is that reality is dwarfed by imagination, and it is best when the two are reconciled.

The Historical and Cultural Context of Japanese Artwork

When trade routes were reopened in the mid 19c., Japan’s visual culture began to resonate with European sensibilities. While Western painters had been preoccupied with realism, the Eastern tradition sought to depict the essence of pictorial subjects. Flora and landscapes were particularly common subjects in the Japanese art tradition, with overarching harmony expressed through the painter. The woodblock printed ukiyo-e, made in collaboration with a carver and publisher, were of particular interest to European painters and collectors of objets d’art.

Japanese painters, rather than pursue volumatic perspective, arranged compositions with flattened shapes counterposed by negative space. The calligraphic line-work emerged from writing character scripts, in which black ink is brushed from above onto thin absorbent paper, affording little way to overwork the surface.

Throughout contemporary history, Japanese popular culture has evolved to become one of the eminent global forms of media entertainment. Since the late 2010s Manga has been greatly outselling American comics, with record sales in 2022. There are over 400 Anime production companies throughout Japan, with 60% of revenue expected to come from overseas in 2025. Japanese media franchises are among the world’s highest grossing, Pokémon being the global-leader since 2016. Like 19c. Japonism, global interest is being driven through cultural products. However much influence later came from America’s post-war occupation, it is ultimately Japanese tradition which has emerged through its cultural exports, and remain a hallmark of its culture industry.

Giclée printed onto archival quality 308gsm Hahnemule paper, this unique art-print comes framed and is available to buy from the online shop.