Peonies
- Date:
- n.d.
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print; surimono
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Art Institute of Chicago
Description
This surimono — a luxury privately commissioned print — depicts peonies (botan), the "king of flowers" in East Asian floral symbolism, associated with wealth, beauty, and feminine elegance. Utamaro produced surimono for poetry circles and wealthy patrons, and floral subjects allowed the full display of the refined color printing and metallic dusting for which surimono were celebrated. The peony's lush, layered petals were a natural subject for polychrome woodblock technique.
More Prints by Kitagawa Utamaro
Akashi of the Tamaya, from the series Seven Komachis of Yoshiwara (Seiro nana Komachi) (Tamaya uchi Akashi, Uraji, Shimano)
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Hour of the Tiger (Tora no koku = 4 AM) from the series Twelve Hours in Yoshiwara (Seirô jûni toki tsuzuki), Late Edo period, circa 1794
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Ikebana arrangement of Peony and Willow in Dragon Pot
1781–1806
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The Greatest Beauties of Our Time (Toji zensei bijin zoroe): Somenosuke of the Matsubaya with Attendants Wakagi and Wakaba
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More Birds & Flowers Prints
Frequently Asked Questions
Peonies was created by Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿) in n.d..
Peonies depicts birds & flowers and still life.