No. 6: Flower of the Capital (Miyako no hana), from the series "A Comparison of Flowers (Hana awase)"
late 1820s
Medium
Color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono
Dimensions
20.8 × 18.2 cm (8 3/16 × 7 3/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81532
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate charm of *No. 6 Flower of the CapitalMiyako no hana, a gem from Yanagawa Shigenobu's series *A Comparison of Flowers (Hana aw)*, created in the late 1820s during Japan's vibrant Edo period. Shigenobu II, a skilled ukiyo-e artist for his refined depictions of beauties and nature, crafted this intimate square-format print (shikishiban) to evoke the poetic elegance of urban life. The title playfully merges floral imagery with the splendor of the capital—likely Kyoto—personifying its grace as a blooming flower amid the "floating world" of fleeting pleasures. This color woodblo...