Amaranthus

This kacho-e depicts amaranthus, likely showing the plant's characteristic pendant flower spikes in deep crimson cascading against a pale, neutral ground. Taisui's treatment of the drooping tassel-like inflorescences would have required careful keyblock cutting to capture the texture of the dense, velvety blooms. Published under the Sakai-Kawaguchi imprint during the 1929–1931 collaborative period, the composition follows the shin-hanga convention of isolating botanical subjects against open backgrounds to emphasize form and color. Bokashi gradation in the background washi likely creates a soft atmospheric transition. As one of three recorded amaranthus designs, this print belongs to a series exploring the plant across varied compositions or seasonal stages.