Haiku by Issa
1963/1964
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
lithograph
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1964.8.803.26
Art Historical Context
Arthur L. Flory's *Haiku by Issa* (1963/1964) is a delicate lithograph that captures the essence of Japanese tradition through a modern American lens. Created as part of a portfolio, this print draws inspiration from the renowned 18th-19th century haiku master Kobayashi Issa, whose minimalist verses often celebrated nature's fleeting beauty. Flory, working in the mid-20th century, bridges Eastern philosophy and Western printmaking, inviting viewers to contemplate simplicity amid a rapidly modernizing world. Lithography, Flory's chosen medium, allows for subtle tonal gradations and intricate d...
About the Artist
Arthur L. Flory
Arthur L. Flory (1914–1972) was an American artist born in Lima, Ohio, whose career bridged painting, printmaking, and illustration. He pursued formal training at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and the National Academy of Design, institutions that shaped his technical proficiency in graphics and fine arts. Later sources also note studies at the Cape School of Art, where he earned...