Reader Collection > Exhibitions > Creative Flower Prints    

Introduction

The modern philosophy of art encourages artists to be creative. Contemporary Japanese artists who drew flowers were creative in several ways. Some intentionally distorted flower shape or the shape of objects in the background. Others used false colors when coloring the flower or its background. This virtual exhibition presents five examples of each of the following methods used by modern Japanese printmakers to be creative:

For each of the thirty prints (i.e., 6 methods x 5 examples) the following information is provided: names of the flower(s) depicted and the artist, printing method used and print size. These prints are part of the Reader Collection of Japanese Flower-and-Bird Art.

1   Distorted flower - corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas), dandelion (Taraxacum sp.) and pansy (Viola tricolor) by Eiichi Kotozuka, woodblock, 360 x 275 mm

2   Distorted flower - florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) by Yōichi Watanabe, woodblock, 145 x 125 mm

3   Distorted flower - Asian skunk-cabbage (Lysichiton camtschatcensis) by Saburō Miyata , woodblock, 250 x 210 mm

4   Distorted flower - trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) by Kiyoharu Yamada, woodblock, 165 x 225 mm

5   Distorted flower - hydrangea (Hydrangea sp.) by Yū Sugiyama , lithograph, 330 x 410 mm

6   Distorted background - red spider-lily (Lycoris radiata) by Yōko Watanabe , lithograph, 485 x 350 mm

7   Distorted background - clematis (Clematis patens) by Kōzō Onishi, woodblock, 145 x 125 mm

8   Distorted background - Japanese iris (Iris ensata) by Kazutoshi Sugiura, screenprint, 480 x 730 mm

9   Distorted background - lily (Lilium sp.) by Munenori Makino, woodblock, 285 x 230 mm

10   Distorted background – German iris (Iris germanica)   by Taika Kinoshita, woodblock, 610 x 440 mm

11 False colored flower - shallow-flower (Iris laevigata) by Makoto Kobayashi, woodblock, 195 x 175 mm

12 False colored flower - Japanese bindweed (Calystegia japonica) by Kieko Tsurusawa, woodblock, 150 x 125 mm

13 False colored flower - florist's cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) by Kyōko Hirota , screenprint, 265 x 275 mm

14 False colored flower - camellia (Camellia japonica) by Yūko Kaneko, 125 x 140 mm

15 False colored flower - lilytree magnolia (Magnolia denudata) by Tatsuo Ohishi, woodblock, 290 x 225 mm

16 False colored background - egret orchid (Habenaria radiata) by Tadashi Ikai, intaglio, 300 x 360 mm

17 False colored background - balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) and painter's palette (Persicaria filiformis) by Sawako Sawa, woodblock, 370 x 480 mm

18 False colored background - cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) by Kōtarō Yoshioka, screenprint, 285 x 220 mm

19 False colored background - scabrous gentian (Gentiana scabra) by Saburō Miyata, woodblock, 255 x 300 mm

20 False colored background - iris (Iris sp.) by Genshichi Tsukagoshi, lithograph, 190 x 135 mm

21 Black-and-white flower - florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum grandiflorum) by Katsue Inoue, woodblock, 350 x 400 mm

22 Black-and-white flower - camellia (Camellia japonica) by Masao Tsuchiya, woodblock, 105 x 140 mm

23 Black-and-white flower - sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) by Kōzō Iwasaki, woodblock, 140 x 200 mm

24 Black-and-white flower - cockscomb (Celosia cristata) by Yasuji Horikoshi, woodblock, 340 x 335 mm

25 Black-and-white flower - evening primrose (Oenothera sp.) by Kayoko Kidoguchi, woodblock, 410 x 330 mm

26 Black background - spider-flower (Tarenaya hassleriana) by Fumio Fujita, woodblock, 225 x 300 mm

27 Black background - black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) by Fumio Kitaoka, woodblock, 170 x 150 mm

28 Black background - leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum) by Kōichi Maeda, woodblock, 190 x 170 mm

29 Black background - lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) by Shigeru Oda, intaglio, 380 x 310 mm

30 Black background - golden-rayed lily (Lilium auratum) by Tomikichirō Tokuriki , woodblock, 420 x 270 mm

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