Week 8
Discussion
Plum, Orchid, Lotus, Chrysanthemum
Combination Painting Subjects
We have frequently discussed the shikunshi subjects, the four painting subjects (orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum) that are traditionally among the first that beginning sumi-e artists learn because collectively, they require all of the basic sumi brush strokes. Most of the time, they are painted as single subjects; each in paintings of their own. Sometimes, however, artists may depict all of them together in single compositions.
There are many more named groups of painting subjects in Japanese art. A key difference between them and the shikunshi subjects is that all of the subjects in such groups are painted together. The chart below lists many of the combination painting subjects.
This week's painting subject is shiai, the collection of subjects on the second line of the chart above.
Shiai
Note that the subjects included in shi (four) ai (love) are the same as the shikunshi subjects except that bamboo has been replaced by lotus. Like bamboo, lotus is identified with summer, so all four seasons are represented in both combinations; orchid (spring), lotus/bamboo (summer), chrysanthemum (fall), and plum (winter).
Plum
Japanese plums (ume) are not the same as the plums we are most familiar with here. Its fruit is closer in appearance to apricots, though the flavor is considerably different. It is used in a wide variety of ways. Blossoms begin to appear from late January through February and are considered a hopeful sign of warmer weather to come.
They are very similar to cherry blossoms but appear at least a month earlier.
Paintings of plum blossoms were popular with Japanese artists. Here are two by Utamaro Hiroshige (1797 – 1858). The first, Warbler on a Red Plum Branch, was produced in the 1847 to 1852 time frame.
The next print is The Plum Blossom Garden at Kameido, printed in 1857. It was part of Hiroshige's series, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. It so impressed Vincent van Gogh that he painted his own version.
The next painting titled Plum Trees in Bloom was by the late 19th century print artist, Toyohara Chikanobu (1838 – 1912). It was published in 1897.
Orchid
Just a few days ago, the discovery of a new species of orchid was announced in Japan. Latin named Spiranthes hachijoensis, it was found in the Tokyo prefecture near Hachijo Island. Its glass-like look gives it a very distinctive appearance.
Orchids are widespread around the world. There are about 28,000 species. All orchids share certain characteristics that make them easily distinguishable from other flowering plants. Prominent among them is bilateral symmetry. This moth orchid is an example.
Orchids have a wide variety of leaves. These cymbidiums have long narrow leaves. Some other orchids have very different leaves.
As another shikunsi subject, artwork featuring orchids (ran) was common. Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770) was having fun with this parody of the nō play Hakurakuten. The scholar is holding up an orchid painting while the girl is holding a kakejiku (hanging scroll) or pillar print of one of Harunobu's other bijin-ga (beautiful people paintings).
This Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849) kachō-ga (birds and flower picture), Orange Orchid, was produced around 1833 or 34.
Tanigami Konan produced this Cypripedium Orchid print in the 1910s.
Lotus
We recently discussed lotus plants and flowers. It grows in the water like water lilies, but it is a quite different plant. Both the leaves and blossoms rise above the water's surface.
Lotus is the national flower of Vietnam and India. Large quantities are grown in Asia for beauty, food, medicine, and seed. Another use is that it helps with water treatment by filtering out pollutants and heavy metals. Lotus plants are edible, but it would be unwise to eat lotus that had been used for water treatment.
The print below is a 20th century reproduction of a 17th century painting by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (1570 – 1640), one of the founders of the Rinpa school of art.
Koho Shoda (1871? - 1946?), a shin-hanga artist about whom virtually nothing is known, produced this Frog on a Lotus Leaf print.
Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 – 1991) was another shin-hanga artist with an interest in lotus plants
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums (kiku), originally from east Asia but since distributed around the world, are associated with autumn in Japan and are another of the shikunshi subjects. A huge number of cultivars and varieties in a range of colors have been developed. The kind of chrysanthemum is sometimes called a pom pom for its resemblance to ... pom poms.
Spider mum blossoms look quite different.
Quite elaborate displays of chrysanthemums are exhibited at flower shows.
Chrysanthemum paintings have been around for a long time as shown by this Momoyama period (1573–1615) six-fold byōbu by Kano Mitsunobu (1565–1608) or someone in his immediate circle. It is titled Flowers and Grasses of the Four Seasons. Chrysanthemums are prominent.
Hokusai (1760 – 1849) is represented here again, this time with a chrysanthemum kachō-ga (birds and flower picture) of chrysanthemums and a bee or hornet from the same series as as his orchid print above.
Hiroshige II (1826 – 1869) has his own contribution with Chrysanthemums at Somei in Tokyo from his series, Thirty-six Selected Flowers (1866).
Artwork
Plenty of artwork has already been shown above representing each of the four elements in shiai compositions. Here is your challenge this week. Find some way to put all four of those elements--plum, orchid, lotus, chrysanthemum--into some pleasing arrangement in a single shiai composition.