$2,000–$15,000. Common subjects: $2,000–$5,000. Key value factors: Yamamura's Art Deco-influenced designs are particularly sought after. Kabuki actor prints and bold modern compositions command the highest prices.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print presents a decorative fan (uchiwa or sensu) adorned with a thistle motif, as indicated by the Japanese subtitle azami-zu dan. The thistle, with its spiky leaves and purple flower heads, is rendered in the simplified, bold style of Toyonari's non-theatrical work. Fan prints have a long history in Japanese art, serving as both functional designs and independent display pieces. Toyonari's treatment strips the botanical subject to its essential graphic elements, using strong outlines and limited color to create a design that works within the fan's curved format. The print reveals a side of Toyonari's practice that his kabuki portraits overshadow: a sensitivity to natural forms and an interest in decorative design that connects him to broader [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) explorations of beauty beyond the theater.
1919
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Woodblock print
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with nikawa and embossing
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Fan with Thistle — 薊図団 was created by Yamamura Toyonari (山村豊成).
Fan with Thistle — 薊図団 was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Fan with Thistle — 薊図団 depicts birds & flowers, still life, and fans.
