Discussion

Chrysanthemums are one of the traditional shikunshi subjects, the four painting subjects that are among the first that beginning sumi-e students learn. There are many types of chrysanthemum (mums) with a variety of shapes. Here are a few.

For this week's painting subject, I've chosen a type called miyako-wasure in Japan.

Most typical chrysanthemum leaves have five lobes. The separation between the lobes may be deep like the one shown on the left below, shallow, or somewhere in between. In comparison, miyako-wasure leaves (shown on the right) are very simple. The lobes are still there, but they can barely be seen.

Chrysanthemums are culturally significant in Japan. For one thing, it is the symbol of the Emperor of Japan. Here is his Imperial standard. Note that there are 32 petals.

The standard can show up other places, too, like this silver tea pot.

Some chrysanthemum species are good for human consumption. This Chrysanthemum × morifolium, for example, is used to make herbal tea.

Haiku

This haiku was written by San Diego resident and one of my students, Sadako Oehler. I have also been an Ikenobo student of hers. Oehler sensei was one of the originators of the annual Art Alive! show at the San Diego Museum of Art.

Artwork

Among the Japanese arts are bonsai, living sculptures. Chrysanthemums can make fine bonsai as shown in these examples.

Chrysanthemums also feature in ikebana, Japanese floral arrangements.

Tosa Mitsuoki (1617 – 1691)

The Tosa school of art was a long-time competitor of the Kanō school with the former being favored by the aristocracy and the latter preferred by the military classes. The Tosa school's popularity was fading when Mitsuoki became its head and moved it to Kyōto in 1634, helping to revitalize it. A key distinguishing characteristic was its emphasis on yamato-e, paintings focusing on traditional Japanese subject matter rather than Chinese subject matter. Many chrysanthemum paintings feature quails, as does this hanging scroll of Mitsuoki's.

Ogata Kōrin (1658 – 1716)

Kōrin was one of the founders of the informal Rinpa school of art. The first syllable of Rinpa is taken from the last syllable of Kōrin's name. The way that the two 6-fold byōbu below are signed indicates that they were painted in the last year of Kōrin's life. Since he is believed to have worked with assistants, it is speculated that they may have been completed after his death. Japanese paintings are "read" from right to the left. The right-hand panel is the first one below. The left-hand panel is below that.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858)

This great landscape ukiyo-e artist was a prolific creator of kachō-ga (birds and flowers pictures), too. This 1835 ukiyo-e of Butterfly and Chrysanthemum is one of them.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798 – 1861)

A contemporary of Hiroshige's, Kuniyoshi painted a wide range of subjects. This 1830 Chrysanthemum ukiyo-e on a fan shape depicts the flowers with the moon in the background.