Spring Outing

Spring Outing (Haru no ensoku), a color woodblock from around 1910, captures the pleasure of venturing outdoors as winter recedes and the landscape greens. Spring excursions in Japan traditionally combined exercise, socializing, and the appreciation of seasonal scenery, from plum blossoms in early spring to cherry blossoms later in the season. Shoun's print depicts figures moving through a landscape that shows the first signs of the new season, their clothing lighter than winter wear, their pace leisurely. The outing is both physical journey and seasonal marker, a way of acknowledging spring's arrival by walking through it.