Reader Collection > Exhibitions > EYE-CATCHERS  100 Japanese flower-bird prints

Unconventional view - Some Japanese flower-bird pictures are eye-catching because they provide unconventional views of flowers or birds. In pictures 83 to 85 birds are shown facing frontwards or backwards instead of the more conventional side-view. In pictures 86 to 91 flowers or birds are partly hidden from our view in contrast to conventional pictures which provide complete views of flower and bird subjects. Moonlight views of flowers and birds are much less common than sunlight views which makes moonlit pictures 92 plus 93 special. Conventional pictures show flowers and birds in focus with sharp edges. However, in pictures 94 to 96 the edges of flowers and birds are fuzzy rather than sharp making them appear to be out of focus. Conventional pictures also typically provide an eye-level view of flowers and birds seen at a comfortable viewing distance. Consequently, the close-up views of flowers and birds in pictures 97 to 100 are unexpected, especially when combined with a downward-looking or upward-looking viewing angle as in pictures 98 and 99.

83   Unconventional front view of a bird - purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) and Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora) by Koson Ohara, 130 x 250 mm, woodblock

84   Unconventional back view of a bird - Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and blue-and-white flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana) by Seitei Watanabe, 320 x 210 mm, woodblock

85   Unconventional rear view of a bird - clematis (Clematis florida) and gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) by Rakusan Tsuchiya, 360 x 230 mm, woodblock

86   Unconventional partial view of a bird - Hydrangea (Hydrangea scandens) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) by Seitei Watanabe, 320 x 210 mm, woodblock

87   Unconventional off-center view of fruits and a bird - Snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumeroides) and white-cheeked starling (Sturnus cineraceus) by Seitei Watanabe, 320 x 210 mm, woodblock

88   Partly hidden flowers - common reed (Phragmites australis), Indian chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum indicum), lyreleaf nightshade (Solanum lyratum) and little egret (Egretta garzetta) by Hōitsu Sakai, 255 x 380 mm, woodblock

89   Partly hidden flowers - plum (Prunus mume) and long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) by Shundei Nakamura, 240 x 365 mm, woodblock

90   Rainy day view - cotton-rose (Hibiscus mutabils) and Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by Gessō Yoshimoto, 230 x 360 mm, woodblock

91   Rainy day view - water chestnut (Trapa japonica) and little egret (Egretta garzetta) by Koson Ohara, 180 x 350 mm, woodblock

92   Moonlight view - common reed (Phragmites australis) and white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) by Sōzan Itō, 165 x 375 mm, woodblock

93   Moonlight view - common reed (Phragmites australis) and duck (Anas sp.) by Koson Ohara, 185 x 340 mm, woodblock

94   Fuzzy view - Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil) and great tit (Parus major) by Hidetaka Yamanaka, 360 x 230 mm, mezzotint

95   Fuzzy view - willow (Salix sp.) and oriental greenfinch (Carduelis sinica) by Mihoko Kasamatsu, 275 x 185 mm, woodblock

96   Fuzzy view - Marlberry (Ardisia japonica) and mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) by Kōyō Nakagawa, 240 x 345 mm, woodblock

97   Close-up side view - plantain lily (Hosta sp.) and chestnut-breasted munia (Lonchura castaneothorax) by Rakusan Tsuchiya, 480 x 340 mm, woodblock

98   Close-up downwards view - bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) and Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) by Hidetaka Yamanaka, 115 x 115 mm, mezzotint

99   Puzzling view - Japanese mountain cherry (Prunus serrulata) and Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora) by Taito II Katsushika, 375 x 245 mm, woodblock

100   Puzzling view - Japanese iris (Iris ensata) and mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) by Taito II Katsushika, 375 x 260 mm, woodblock

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