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Willow

Willow is the common name for approximately 400 trees and shrubs in the genus salix. Most are found in moist soils in cold or temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. One species of willow, Salix babylonica, grows from 66 to 82 feet tall and lives between 40 to 75 years. The root system of willows can be shallow and aggressive, making it unwise to plant them close to buildings. The roots can invade underground pipes and power lines.

Willows are famous for the salicin content in their sap, the study of which led to the creation of acetylsalicylic acid; aka aspirin. More current studies suggest that another component of willow sap may lead to a treatment for cancer.

The long drooping branches of many willows have led to its often being called a weeping willow.

Willows are dioecious; in other words they reproduce sexually with some willows having male parts and others being female. The male flower of the Salix babylonica is shown below.

I could not find a decent photo of the female flower.

There are various cultural traditions associated with willows, but one of the main reasons people like them is the sense of comfort and shelter one gets under its branches.

The French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet (1840 - 1926), was famous for the many paintings he created that were set in his garden in the little village of Giverny north of Paris. Willow trees are among the plants there.

Monet didn't neglect willows in his paintings.

As a side note, Monet was a big fan of Japanese art; particularly ukiyo-e, Japanese woodblock prints. A portion of his Japanese art collection can be seen in the background of this painting of his wife, Camille, posing in a Japanese kimono.

Willow Landscapes

Willows were often subjects of Japanese artists.

Born Kimura Heizō (1559 - 1635), Kanō Sanraku became a young page to the powerful military leader, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was so impressed with his artistic talents that he introduced him to Kanō Eitoku, the famed head of the Kanō school of art. Eitoku was also impressed and made him an official part of the Kanō school where he eventually became known as Kanō Sanraku. Sanraku succeeded Eitoku as head of the school upon his death. Sanraku's byōbu painting of Birds in a Landscape with Willows and Peonies is below.

Kanō Sansetsu (1589–1651) was apprenticed to Sanraku and eventually married Sanraku's daughter. Sanraku made him his heir after his son died, and on Sanraku's death, Sansetsu became the next head of the Kanō school. The matched pair of byōbus below are by Sansetsu.

The byōbu below is thought by some to be by Watanabe Shiko (1683 - 1755), a Kanō and Rinpa school artist. The painting style is consistent with Rinpa school artistry.

Chinese Influence on the Kanō School

Early Kanō school artists were strongly influenced by Northern Song Dynasty landscape artists in China, one of the most notable of whom was Guo Xi (1020 – 1090). One of his most famous paintings, Early Spring (1072), is shown below.

Like most of the North Song Dynasty landscapes, early Kanō landscapes were monochromatic. After a time, color began to be introduced along with gold leaf on byōbu paintings. Eventually, subject matter began to shift toward Japanese cultural interests, giving rise to yamoto-e, uniquely Japanese-style paintings.