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Hokusai’s <i>Flower-and-Bird Print Collection:</i> <br>A Series That Shaped Japonisme
Bold Designs That Inspired Western Decorative Arts
Over his long life of 90 years, Katsushika Hokusai, the most celebrated of all ukiyo-e artists, studied painting techniques from Japan and abroad with a passion for capturing every facet of the natural world. His 10-print series of flower-and-bird compositions takes up a traditional subject and gives it a freshness that has not faded with time, drawing viewers in as readily today as it has for generations.
At the close of the Edo period (1603–1868), the prints crossed the seas to Europe, where they drew considerable attention and their motifs were incorporated into glassware, jewelry, and other decorative arts. The series is said to have influenced the designs of the renowned glass houses Baccarat and Lalique, and it continues to enjoy international acclaim today.
<p><strong>Hokusai’s Mastery of Stillness and Motion</strong></p>
This series was published around the same time as Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji, from the same publisher, Nishimura Eijudo. The protean range Hokusai developed through his work on waves and Mount Fuji is on full display here in flower-and-bird subjects as well. The 10 prints divide into two types: moments of stillness, and instants of motion as the wind passes through. Together they convey Hokusai’s resolve to render the natural world in all its ceaseless variety.
Each print rewards close attention for the precision of its forms and the realism of its details, while the series as a whole can be enjoyed for Hokusai’s mastery of stillness and motion.
<p><strong>Carving True to Hokusai’s Brush</strong></p>
Hokusai conveys both stillness and motion chiefly through line. Each flower petal and leaf vein is rendered with fine precision and with deliberate shifts in weight. Reproducing these prints calls for a highly skilled carver who can interpret Hokusai’s brushwork and translate it faithfully into the woodblock.
<p><strong>Printing Images as Hokusai Imagined Them</strong></p>
The flowers and birds in this series are rendered in a finely calibrated palette, and miscalculation of even a single color would tip the whole composition out of balance. The printer therefore pays close attention to the smallest adjustments of tone. Pressing down firmly with a baren (flat, disk-shaped tool) and working the pigment thoroughly into the washi paper brings out the brilliance and depth of color that give these prints their gloriously vivid finish.
Rotating the Prints Like Arranging Flowers
We’ve been pleased to hear from customers who rotate prints from the Flower-and-Bird Print Collection in their homes. One shared the following:
“My mother had the Hokusai Flower-and-Bird Print Collection set made for me as part of my wedding trousseau, about 10 years ago. I really couldn’t imagine our home without them now. They are the first thing you see when the front door opens, and though the images are still, there’s something atmospheric about them, like a soft breeze passing through. I rotate them with the seasons, which makes it easy to give the entryway a fresh look. And when unexpected guests drop by, hanging one in the entryway is enough to set the tone, which I really appreciate.” (From a customer interview)
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