Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重

Java Sparrow and Sasanqua Camellia (Sazanka ni bunchô)

Maker

Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (Japanese, 1797-1858, b. in Edo)

Title

Java Sparrow and Sasanqua Camellia (Sazanka ni bunchô)

Period

Edo (Japanese period)

Year

1840s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

ink, color

Supports

Geography

Place Made: Japan; Place Made: Edo (location)

Dimensions

Image: 33.8 x 11.4 cm (13 5/16 x 4 1/2 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Poem: Sazanka ya/dore gasa sakari no/hana no iro Which one/is the peak color/of the clematis?The poem probably relates to the notion of saturation by moisture which enhances the color of the clematis; the color deepens as the moisture caught in its cup-like blossom sinks into the petals. The poem can be given a sexual twist using the same imagery, noting also that the word "sakari" carries the meanings of "peak," "height" and "in full flush," in flower and sexual contexts.

Signature: Signed at lower right | Hiroshige hitsu

Seals: Artist's seal | Ichiryûsai

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Object Number

34.143

Type

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (Japanese, 1797-1858, b. in Edo)
Java Sparrow and Sasanqua Camellia (Sazanka ni bunchô), 1840s
Polychrome wood block print
Image: 33.8 x 11.4 cm (13 5/16 x 4 1/2 inches)
Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. 34.143

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