Flowers of a Hundred Worlds: River in Winter

This print from a set of three woodblock-printed albums displays the graphic design prowess of Kamisaka Sekka (who is one of my favorite Japanese artists). The images were first distributed one by one to subscribers to the series but later were reissued in bound form, like this book, for mass consumers. Each print features a vignette taken from nature or Japanese literature. Many of the scenes have a long history in Japan, originating in the 900s or 1000s and having been interpreted by all manner of artists since that time. Sekka’s selections were close to precedents from the Rinpa style originated by painter Tawaraya Sōtatsu (c.1570–c.1640) and calligrapher Hon’ami Kōetsu (1558–1637).

As winter is approaching in our part of the world, we will feature more and more winter landscapes; we hope you will love them!

We present today's work thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Art.

If you are looking for more beautiful examples of Japanese art, please check out our Japanese Art 50 Postcards Set, which is a perfect Christmas gift! :)

P.S. Ukiyo-e artists loved to depict Japanese landscapes and society in various seasons, especially during picturesque winter. Discover the most beautiful winter views of Japan!