Marigold (Kinsenka) and Rashomon Flowers, from the series "Collection of Plants for the Kasumi Poetry Circle (Kasumi-ren somoku awase)"

Art Historical Context

Kubo Shunman's *Marigold (Kinsenka) and Rashomon* is a delicate gem from his 1810s series *Collection of Plants the Kasumi Poetry Circle (Kasumi-ren somokuase)*, a set of prints celebrating flora paired with poetry. Produced during Japan's Edo period, these works reflect the ukiyo-e tradition of capturing fleeting beauty, here tailored to the refined tastes of the Kasumi-ren, a poetry circle where members matched plants to verses, evoking seasonal elegance and literary harmony. Printed as a shikishiban surimono—a compact, square-format woodblock print (19.2 × 16.1 cm) often privately commissioned—this piece exemplifies luxury printing techniques. Surimono featured vibrant colors from multiple woodblocks, subtle mica dusting for shimmer, and embossing for texture, reserved for elite patrons like poets and scholars. Shunman, a master of such intimate commissions, blended precise botanical detail with poetic lyricism, making the marigold's golden petals and Rashomon flowers symbols of resilience and transience. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print offers a window into 19th-century Japan's cultured elite, where art, nature, and haiku intertwined, inviting viewers to ponder the poetry hidden in a single bloom.

About the Artist

Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820

Japanese, 1757–1820