Discussion

This week's demonstration painting varies from last week's in two ways. The first is that it features camellias in snow. Here are some examples of that. This is an individual blossom.

Clusters of flowers covered in show are attractive, too. It highlights the fact that several species of camellias do well under harsh winter conditions.

These camellias are in Korea's Jeju Island Arboretum.

This camellia forest photo at Jeju Island was taken during a rare hot spell, showing that there isn't always snow in the winter.

Individual camellia bushes or trees can stay in bloom for months depending on the species. However individual blossoms typically only last a few days before petals fall. Petal falls can be quite rapid, resulting in scenes like this on Jeju Island.

Sazanka vs. Tsubaki

Another way that this week is different from last week is in the specific species of camellia painted. Japanese has two words that mean camellia. When speaking of camellias in general, tsubaki is usually used. However each word is also the Japanese name for a specific camellia species. The species in last week's demonstration painting was Camellia sasanqua. Its Japanese name is sazanka, and its common name is sasanqua camellia. Its blossoms come in white, pink, and red colors, and they are aromatic.

Note that the petals are spread out, and the stamen cluster at the center is also somewhat spread out.

This subject of week's demonstration painting is the Camellia japonica. Its Japanese name is tsubaki, and common names for it are common camellia and Japanese camellia. It originated in China and was imported into Japan many centuries ago. Today, it is cultivated worldwide.

Thousands of tsubaki variations have been cultivated. With that many varieties, it isn't remarkable that there is quite a large variety of blossom shapes, too.

Whether easily seen or not, a tight stamen cluster is at the center of most tsubaki blossoms.

Artwork

Suzuki Kiitsu (1796 – 1858)

Kiitsu is one of the more prominent artists of the Rinpa School. Long considered to be a minor member of that school, recent reevaluation of his works has raised critical regard for him. Kiitsu is best known for his byōbu, one of which is his Flowering Plum and Camellia below, painted in the 1850s.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858)

Hiroshige's output of kachō-ga (pictures of birds and flowers) rivals his more famous landscape paintings. Here are two of his kachō-ga, both of which feature sparrows, falling snow, and tsubaki. The first was printed in 1838.

This second, similar, painting was printed in 1845.

Anonymous Artist (19th Century)

An unknown artist designed this tsubaki print sometime in the 1870s.