Black Plum, Shôwa period,

The black plum blossom was a symbol of endurance and early renewal in Japanese art, blooming before the snow has fully retreated. Kawano depicts the spare, gnarled branches and delicate blossoms with a printmaker's economy of means, the dark ink of the branches contrasting sharply against lighter ground. This Showa-period work reflects his ability to invest botanical subjects with the same expressive force he brought to his figure prints.