Camellia I- le

This impression is the third catalogued variant within the 'Camellia I' limited edition grouping of Kawano's tsubaki series. The repeated appearance of the same title across multiple catalogue entries indicates either a series of close variants produced from related but distinct blocks, or individual impressions from the same edition that have been separately accessioned. Variant I may represent a later stage of Kawano's camellia explorations, with compositional choices refined through earlier versions. Kawano's [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) practice gave him complete control over each print: he carved new blocks for each significant compositional variation, inked them by hand, and pulled impressions on [washi](/glossary/washi) using a [baren](/glossary/baren). The limited edition designation aligns with his production for Western galleries, where small signed editions were the expected format. The camellia's seasonal associations — late winter, elegant restraint — suited Kawano's mature aesthetic, and the tsubaki series as a whole demonstrates his sustained engagement with a single botanical subject across multiple years and compositional approaches.