May

May represents the height of spring in Japan — cherry blossoms have fallen, fresh greenery has emerged, and the calendar turns toward summer. Kawano's May is likely a seasonal figure composition, a woman or girl dressed in the lighter clothing of the warmer months, the seasonal mood communicated through color palette and atmospheric quality as much as through any literal depiction of nature. The print reflects his practice of organizing some work around the Japanese seasonal calendar, with its ancient associations of mood, color, and feeling.