Morning Glory

This second Morning Glory by Nakajima Kiyoshi accompanies a related print of the same title within his output. Pairs of this kind are common in modern Japanese woodblock work, where an artist may produce variants of a successful motif — differing in palette, format, or compositional emphasis — rather than restricting the subject to a single design. The asagao itself is a long-standing kacho-e theme: its curling vines and broad blooms suit the layered colour-block process of mokuhanga, with bokashi gradations applied to petals and leaves to suggest depth and the subtle modulation of natural form. Production typically involves a keyblock for outlines, several colour blocks aligned by kentō registration, and a baren-burnished impression on washi paper. Within Nakajima's wider practice, the recurrence of the morning glory subject points to an interest in seasonal and floral imagery developed across multiple works, alongside the artist's wind- and rain-themed compositions.