April- Rain of Blossoms
by Igawa Sengai
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
by Igawa Sengai
$200–$1,500. Common landscapes: $200–$500. Key value factors: Igawa's landscape prints are affordably priced. Atmospheric scenes in good condition are most collectible.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print evokes the moment when cherry blossom petals detach from their branches and drift downward like rain. April in Japan marks the peak and decline of [sakura](/glossary/sakura) season, when entire trees release their petals in cascades that blanket paths, rooftops, and waterways in pink and white. Igawa Sengai captures this seasonal transition, likely showing a female figure amid the falling petals or a landscape scene transformed by the blossom shower. The Japanese term hanafubuki, or flower blizzard, describes this phenomenon, and it carries an undercurrent of melancholy: the falling petals signify beauty at its most fleeting. The woodblock printer would have rendered each petal as a small, distinct mark against the background, building up the sense of abundance through repetition across the print surface.
1962
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
c. 1833-36
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Ame no Omiya
1930
Color woodblock print; oban
Teradomari no yau
1921
Color woodblock print; oban
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
April- Rain of Blossoms was created by Igawa Sengai (井川洗崖).
April- Rain of Blossoms depicts rain.
