Beauty and Nandina
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
$300–$3,000. Common illustrations: $300–$800. Key value factors: Iwata's stylish modern women prints bridge illustration and fine art. Original prints command more than reproductions.
Beauty and Nandina pairs a female figure with the bright red berries and green leaves of the nandina bush, a plant associated with good fortune in Japanese culture. The combination of [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) subject and botanical element follows a long tradition of placing beautiful women alongside seasonal plants to create layered meanings. Nandina fruits in winter, so the print likely suggests a cold-weather setting despite the warmth of the woman's presence. Iwata uses the [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock format to give both figure and plant sufficient space, allowing neither to overwhelm the other.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Beauty and Nandina was created by Sentaro Iwata (岩田専太郎).
Beauty and Nandina depicts bijin-ga.
