Sunflowers and Skyscrapers juxtaposes natural beauty against the steel geometry of New York City, creating a striking East-meets-West composition. Sekino's American travels in the 1960s inspired several such cross-cultural prints. This artist-pulled edition typically sells for $250-$800.
"Sunflowers and Skyscrapers" is a sosaku-hanga nature study by Jun'ichiro Sekino, created during the Showa period. This work belongs to the kacho-e (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.
Jun'ichiro Sekino brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.
The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.
This print represents Jun'ichiro Sekino's contribution to the sosaku-hanga tradition during the Showa period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.
Woodblock print
1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
1948
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Sunflowers and Skyscrapers (Flowers and New York) was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎) in 1960.
Sunflowers and Skyscrapers (Flowers and New York) uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Sunflowers and Skyscrapers (Flowers and New York) depicts urban scenes, birds & flowers, and travel scenes.
