Kitagawa Utamaro II

These woodblock prints by Utamaro II illustrate a selection of flower arrangements from the Edo period (1615-1868). Like the tea ceremony, the art of flower arrangement (ikebana or kado) was much pursued by the warrior class. Considered a refined pastime, the tradition flourished in the 1500s. Ikebana emphasized the attention to form and line as dictated by the natural inclinations of various flowering plants. Practitioners studied not only the different types of plants but also considered how their compositions were affected by the shapes of various vessels.