Iris

A second mezzotint of the iris subject, likely a variant plate or an alternate state from the same series. Saito's repeated returns to a single motif reflect a sustained interest in tonal refinement: each plate is rocked by hand to build the dense black burr, and small differences in burnishing pressure produce distinct modulations of light across petals and leaves. Where the first iris emphasizes the bloom in isolation, this version may shift the framing or include additional botanical detail. The kacho-e tradition, central to ukiyo-e from Hokusai and Hiroshige onward, here meets the demands of intaglio: no carving, no key block, only the gradual unburdening of the plate to reveal form. Saito's extended engagement with floral subjects parallels his work on classical literary themes, both grounded in the same patient approach to the copper plate.