Chrysanthemums and Horsefly
- Medium
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
- Dimensions
- 9 11/16 × 14 7/16 in. (24.6 × 36.7 cm) (image, sheet, horizontal ōban) 19 × 23 × 1 1/2 in. (48.26 × 58.42 × 3.81 cm) (outer frame)
- Genre
Tags
Japan
About
Imported from China in the 8th or 9th century, the chrysanthemum (kiku) has been an abiding motif in the work of Japanese poets, painters, and textile designers. The imperial family adopted the chrysanthemum as its official emblem. Hokusai, interestingly, paired his chrysanthemums with a common horsefly (abu), perhaps implying his independence from the flower’s august history.
