SAKURA (cherry blossom)
by Toru Mabuchi
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Edition:
- Self-printed
- Source:
- wbp
Typical Price
$400–$3,000. Common landscapes: $400–$1,000. Key value factors: Mabuchi's serene landscapes have a modest but loyal collector following.
by Toru Mabuchi
$400–$3,000. Common landscapes: $400–$1,000. Key value factors: Mabuchi's serene landscapes have a modest but loyal collector following.
Cherry blossoms in full bloom take center stage in this woodblock print, their fleeting annual display one of the most culturally charged subjects in all of Japanese art. Mabuchi's rendering of [sakura](/glossary/sakura) avoids the panoramic cherry-viewing scene common in tourist imagery, instead focusing on the blossoms themselves at close range. Individual flowers and clusters are carved and printed with attention to the five-petaled form and the pale pink-to-white color range that characterizes the most common ornamental varieties. The sakura's association with impermanence and the beauty of brief moments gives even a straightforward botanical rendering emotional resonance. Mabuchi's [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) approach means the artist personally carved each petal's outline and printed each impression by hand, adding a layer of individual labor to the flower's symbolic weight.
Kumoi sakura
1926
Color woodblock print
1935
Color woodblock print
Romon
1935
Color woodblock print
円山公園桜
Woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
SAKURA (cherry blossom) was created by Toru Mabuchi (馬渕徹).
SAKURA (cherry blossom) depicts cherry blossoms.
