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Caught in a Squall "Shiki No Hana" : "Flowers of the Four Seasons" 1801 antique print handmade in Japan
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About Caught In A Squall "Shiki No Hana" : "Flowers Of
The theme of is Shiki No Hana, published in 1801 is a traditional one - the serene pleasures of the four seasons, but it is distinguished by its affecting preoccupation with hidden scenes of female sensuality and domesticity with children and the palette is sharply restrained, chiefly a range of yellows. Many of the prints feature courtesans in intimate poses not usually seen in public, while others show private scenes and excursions. The authentic hand-made woodblock print for sale on this page was published in 1916 by Fuzoku Emaki Zuga Kankokai and Yoshikawa Kobunkan - the oldest Japanese publisher still in existence, founded in 1857 - using recut wood blocks by master cutter Otsuka Yuji. Almost a hundred years old now, this print exhibits beautifully antiqued colour tones that only extensive aging can produce. Utamaro's original Shiki No Hana series is held by the British Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Princeton and UCLA.
