Peonies in Vase
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
Key value factors: Edition order (first Watanabe/Doi printing vs. posthumous reprints) is crucial. Snow scenes, night views, and bijin-ga typically command premiums. Publisher seals and artist signatures authenticate first editions.
Where Taisui's other peony print presents the flowers as they grow in the garden, this composition places cut peonies in a vase, shifting the subject from botanical observation to still life. The ikebana-like arrangement introduces a domestic, human element: someone has selected these blooms, trimmed their stems, and placed them in a vessel for display. The vase itself becomes a secondary subject, its form and decoration contributing to the overall design. In the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) tradition, vased arrangements appear less frequently than garden settings, making this an uncommon compositional choice for a [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) floral print. The undated woodblock print likely dates to the same late-1920s period as Taisui's other peony subject. The still-life format allowed Taisui to control the arrangement more deliberately than a naturalistic garden scene would permit, creating a tighter, more designed composition.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Peonies in Vase was created by Inuzuka Taisui (犬塚泰水).
Peonies in Vase depicts birds & flowers and still life.
