Reader Collection > Exhibitions > Endemic and Exotic Plants and Birds in Japanese Art

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

Many different species of plants and birds appear in Japanese art. Some of these species occur naturally only within Japan (i.e., endemics) while others occur naturally only outside Japan (i.e., exotics). The islands of Japan are particularly rich in endemics, presumably because the surrounding ocean prevents species with poor dispersal ability from leaving the islands. Humans have aided the dispersal of other species not naturally found in Japan by bringing them to Japan as a source of food or entertainment (e.g., plants for crops or gardens and birds for pets). The exotics and endemics depicted most often in Japanese art are included in this virtual exhibition. Examples of endemic plants and birds are presented first (pictures 1-20) followed by exotic plants and birds (pictures 21-40). Species are arranged in descending order of their popularity with artists. These examples were chosen from the flower-and-bird prints in the Reader Collection of Japanese Art. For each print the following information is provided: names of the plant or bird and artist, printing method and print size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic plant 1 – Camellia (Camellia japonica) by Tomikichirō Tokuriki, woodblock print, 270 x 295 mm

 

 

 

Endemic plant 2 – Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) by Bairei Kōno, woodblock print, 245 x 370 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic plant 3 – Sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua) by Sūgakudō Nakayama, woodblock print, 245 x 365 mm

 

 

Endemic plant 4 – Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) by Kōyō Nakagawa, woodblock print, 245 x 350 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic plant 5 – Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophyllum) by Keinen Imao, woodblock print, 250 x 370 mm

 

 

Endemic plant 6 – Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum makinoi) by Kashū Numata, woodblock print, 175 x 245 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic plant 7 – Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata) by Shizuo Ashikaga, woodblock print, 300 x 450 mm

 

 

Endemic plant 8 – Torch azalea (Rhododendron kaempferi) by Shizuo Ashikaga, woodblock print, 300 x 450 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic plant 9 – Trumpet lily (Lilium longiflorum) by Baison Okada, woodblock print, 105 x 155 mm

 

 

Endemic plant 10 – Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) by Bunrei Maekawa, woodblock print, 245 x 355 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic bird 1 – Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 130 x 255 mm

 

 

Endemic bird 2 – Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) by Chikudō Kishi, woodblock print, 240 x 345 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic bird 3 – Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) by Hidetaka Yamanaka, intaglio print, 205 x 235 mm

 

 

Endemic bird 4 – Green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) by Benji Asada, woodblock print, 450 x 295 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic bird 5 – Japanese waxwing (Bombycilla japonica) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 190 x 380 mm

 

 

Endemic bird 6 – Japanese robin (Erithacus akahige) by Tōshi Yoshida, woodblock print, 195 x 250 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic bird 7 – Japanese grosbeak (Eophona personata) by Rakusan Tsuchiya, woodblock print, 590 x 455 mm

 

 

 

Endemic bird 8 – Japanese paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata) by Keinen Imao, woodblock print, 250 x 370 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endemic bird 9 – Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 95 x 145 mm

 

 

Endemic bird 10 – Japanese thrush (Turdus cardis) by Keinen Imao, woodblock print, 250 x 370 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic plant 1 – Plum (Prunus mume) by Keibun Matsumura, woodblock print, 130 x 190 mm

 

 

Exotic plant 2 – Florist’s chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum grandiflorum) by Kunisada II Utagawa, 300 x 225 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic plant 3 – Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 260 x 385 mm

 

 

Exotic plant 4 – China rose (Rosa chinensis) by Hiroshige Utagawa, woodblock print, 270 x 270 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic plant 5 – Peach (Prunus persica) by Shizuo Ashikaga, woodblock print, 125 x 195 mm

 

 

Exotic plant 6 – Hall crabapple (Malus halliana) by Seisai Itō, woodblock print, 165 x 245 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic plant 7 – Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil) by Bairei Kōno, woodblock print, 245 x 370 mm

 

 

Exotic plant 8 – Pomegranate (Punica granatum) by Sūgakudō Nakayama, woodblock print, 245 x 385 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic plant 9 – Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) by Gessō Yoshimoto, woodblock print, 125 x 245 mm

 

 

Exotic plant 10 – Bunchflower daffodil (Narcissus tazetta) by Bairei Kōno, woodblock print, 245 x 370 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic bird 1 – Domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) by Bihō Takahashi, woodblock print, 90 x 140 mm

 

 

Exotic bird 2 – Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 75 x 105 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic bird 3 – Blue magpie (Urocissa erythrorhyncha) by Hiroshige Utagawa, woodblock print, 175 x 390 mm

 

 

Exotic bird 4 – Rock dove (Columba livia) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 190 x 370 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic bird 5 – Canary (Serinus canaria) by Hodō Nishimura, woodblock print, 270 x 395 mm

 

 

Exotic bird 6 – Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) by Koson Ohara, woodblock print, 190 x 340 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic bird 7 – Golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) by Hodō Nishimura, woodblock print, 275 x 410 mm

 

 

Exotic bird 8 – Domestic goose (Anser cygnoides) by Soseki Komori, woodblock print, 215 x 385 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic bird 9 – Black bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) by Suiun Komuro, woodblock print, 370 x 270 mm

 

 

 

Exotic bird 10 – Silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) by Masayoshi Kitao, woodblock print, 380 x 245 mm

 

 

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