Untitled (inuzuka-taisui)

An undocumented woodblock print from Inuzuka Taisui's body of shin-hanga kacho-e works. The tradition of depicting flowers according to their seasonal associations, known as shiki no hana (flowers of the four seasons), provided a structural framework for kacho-e artists like Taisui. A full set of seasonal prints might include plum blossoms and camellias for winter, cherry blossoms and wisteria for spring, irises and morning glories for summer, and chrysanthemums and autumn grasses for fall. Whether Taisui organized his output along these seasonal lines is unclear, but his known titled works, which include summer flowers like dahlias, hydrangeas, and morning glories, suggest at least a partial engagement with the seasonal calendar that has governed Japanese floral art for centuries.