Plum Blossoms and Canaries

This second version of Plum Blossoms and Canaries — sharing its title with another Nishimura print — likely represents a color variant or a differently cropped impression from related blocks. Subtle changes in the background bokashi wash, or different pigment choices for the blossom tones, can substantially alter the atmosphere of a kacho-e print while the compositional architecture remains the same. In this type of variant, the relationship between the birds and the branch may be identical in line but differ significantly in the warmth or coolness of the prevailing palette, or in the depth of the background tone. Such variants were common in the commercial print trade, allowing publishers to offer collectors related but distinct impressions. The canaries' yellow plumage reads differently depending on whether the surrounding tones are blue-gray or warm ochre.