"Daffodil"

This kacho-e (flower-and-bird print) focuses on the narcissus, known in Japan as suisen, rendered with the close observational precision characteristic of Ito Nisaburo's botanical subjects. Daffodils bloom in late winter and early spring, and their association with the season's transition made them a recurring motif in Kyoto printmaking circles. Ito likely arranged a small cluster of blossoms against a tonal ground, using graduated bokashi to suggest ambient light — the cool, diffuse illumination of a Japanese interior or a garden in February. The washi ground would absorb the ink layers to create the soft, matte surface typical of shin-hanga flower studies. Individual petals show the delicate key-block line work that anchors the composition, while the pale yellow of the corona contrasts with crisp white outer petals, a color relationship requiring careful registration across multiple blocks. The spare arrangement reflects an aesthetic sensibility rooted in Kyoto's ink-painting traditions.