Untitled (inuzuka-taisui)

An untitled woodblock print from Inuzuka Taisui's shin-hanga production, this work represents one of many kacho-e subjects the artist created during the genre's twentieth-century revival. The printing process for these works involved dampening the washi paper before each color application, allowing the water-based pigments to penetrate the fibers for a soft, integrated effect. The printer regulated moisture levels carefully throughout the process, as too much dampness would cause colors to bleed and too little would result in uneven, patchy coverage. For botanical prints, where delicate color transitions define the subject's visual character, this moisture management was particularly critical. Taisui's designs would have been executed by printers experienced in the specific demands of flower subjects.