
Little Flora- Shibaraku- red version — 花
by Kaoru Kawano
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
- Image courtesy of
- Japanese Art Open Database
Description
This print is an impression from the 'Little Flora — Shibaraku' red-version edition, sharing its composition and colorway with the related red impression. The kanji 花 in the title positions the subject explicitly within a floral thematic, aligning with Kawano's broader interest in pairing female figures with natural motifs drawn from kacho-e and bijin-ga conventions. The Shibaraku reference — a famous aragoto kabuki role known for theatrical costumes and exaggerated poses — lends the figure a performative quality, distinguishing it from straightforward bijin-ga. In this impression the red tones may show slight variation from the companion print in ink density or registration, reflecting the hand-printing process inherent to sosaku-hanga, where each sheet pulled with a baren produces minor but identifiable differences. The composition was evidently popular enough to warrant multiple printings and at least two distinct colorways.
More Prints by Kaoru Kawano
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Little Flora- Shibaraku- red version — 花 was created by Kaoru Kawano (川野薫).



