Peonies in Vase

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 tradition, vased arrangements appear less frequently than garden settings, making this an uncommon compositional choice for a 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.