Picture Book of Flowers of the Four Seasons (Ehon shiki no hana)
Original title: Picture Book of Flowers of the Four Seasons (Ehon shiki no hana) 絵本四季花
kurzbeschreibung
This two-volume colour woodblock book by Kitagawa Utamaro dates from 1801, the first month. The volumes bring together ink and colour prints on paper and treat the flowers of the four seasons. A pasted label on the back gives the title, date and artist.
Description
What you see is the back of the book, its paper heavily darkened and blotched. Browning and abrasion bear clear witness to the age of the material. In the upper left sits a small label reading 'No. 42. SHIKI NO HANA. DATE: 1801. 2 VOLS. BY UTAMARO'. Otherwise the surface carries no motif or writing.
Context
The late Edo period, when Japanese colour woodblock printing was at its height, forms the backdrop to this work. In the 1790s and 1800s Utamaro produced numerous studies of nature and flowers, and this album belongs among them. Picture books of this kind were regarded as artworks and collectibles and often appeared in limited editions.
Impact
The worn back makes the materiality of the historical object immediately palpable. Brown tones and signs of use lend the book an aura of the aged and authentic. The label appears like a museum record, documenting the collecting history of this copy.
Technique
Printing was done in woodblock with several colour blocks, ink and colours being applied to the paper. The back remained unprinted and took on its characteristic browning over the years. The label was added later and is not part of the original print.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)