Admiring wisteria

Date:: c. 1801-07
Medium:: Color woodblock print; ebangire, surimono
Format:: Oban
Source:: Art Institute of Chicago

Typical Price

Later reprint (Meiji–Taisho era publishers): $50–$400
Good later impression (Edo-period, worn blocks): $2,000–$8,000
Good early impression (vivid color, crisp key lines): $8,000–$30,000
Fine early impression (exceptional freshness and condition): $30,000–$60,000

Hokusai's bird-and-flower (kacho-e) prints are prized for their naturalistic observation and painterly sensitivity. Fine impressions from his horizontal oban series regularly appear at specialist Japanese print auctions.

Description

"Admiring wisteria" is a [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) nature study by Katsushika Hokusai, created during the Edo period. This work belongs to the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.

Katsushika Hokusai brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.

The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.

This print represents Katsushika Hokusai's contribution to the ukiyo-e tradition during the Edo period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.