Resting dragonfly

Resting dragonfly belongs to the insect-subject branch of [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e), a tradition that treats small invertebrates with the same careful attention given to birds and flowers. The dragonfly (tonbo) carries strong seasonal associations with late summer and early autumn in Japanese visual culture and appears widely in haiku, decorative arts, and woodblock prints. A composition built around a single resting insect typically isolates the subject on a slender stem, leaf, or grass blade, with a generous expanse of empty [washi](/glossary/washi) serving as ground. The mokuhanga process is well matched to the dragonfly's visual qualities: the keyblock can render the delicate venation of the wings in fine line, while overprinted color blocks supply the iridescent body — often greens, blues, or reds depending on species. Within Fukami's small documented body of work, an insect study reinforces the impression of an artist comfortable across the full range of natural-world subjects associated with the kacho-e genre.