Cluster Amaryllis

Cluster amaryllis—higanbana, the red spider lily (Lycoris radiata)—blooms in late September around the autumn equinox and in Japanese tradition is associated with cemeteries, field boundaries, and the equinoctial holiday. The flower's distinctive form—six narrow recurved petals on a leafless stem with long protruding stamens—provides woodblock printmakers with a precise linear subject. The composition likely centers on a cluster of stems against a quieter ground, with the keyblock supplying the tendril-like petal lines and a vermillion or scarlet pigment block supplying the saturated hue characteristic of the species. Mokuhanga's capacity for pure flat color suits this flower particularly well, the red sustained without modulation across its flower heads. Botanical subjects of this kind belong to the kacho-e tradition. Hamanishi's mezzotint practice has centered on natural specimens observed at close range, and this woodblock continues that pattern of close attention to a specific botanical subject in a different medium.