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](/glossary/kacho-e) theme: its curling vines and broad blooms suit the layered colour-block process of mokuhanga, with [bokashi](/glossary/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](/glossary/baren)-burnished impression on [washi](/glossary/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.