Marigold (Kinsenka) and Rashomon Flowers, from the series "Collection of Plants for the Kasumi Poetry Circle (Kasumi-ren somoku awase)"
1810s
Medium
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Dimensions
19.2 × 16.1 cm (7 9/16 × 6 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23378
Art Historical Context
Kubo Shunman's *Marigold (Kinsenka) and Rashomon* is a delicate gem from his 1810s series *Collection of Plants the Kasumi Poetry Circle (Kasumi-ren somokuase)*, a set of prints celebrating flora paired with poetry. Produced during Japan's Edo period, these works reflect the ukiyo-e tradition of capturing fleeting beauty, here tailored to the refined tastes of the Kasumi-ren, a poetry circle where members matched plants to verses, evoking seasonal elegance and literary harmony. Printed as a shikishiban surimono—a compact, square-format woodblock print (19.2 × 16.1 cm) often privately commissi...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820