Morning Glories and Tree Frog

During the Edo period, a mania for morning glories emerged that led enthusiasts to develop many new varieties. Fairs were held throughout Japan with the most famous at Shingenji Temple in Iriya, northeast of Ueno Park. The depiction of flora and fauna is a classic theme in the Japanese arts but was relatively rare in Japanese woodblock prints until the 1830s, when the market became flooded with designs in various sizes, mostly by Hokusai and Hiroshige. This print is part of an untitled series known as Large Flowers. Seven of the ten designs show animalplant combinations like the one seen here, where a small tree frog is hiding amongst the plants, escaping detection because of his green color and bent legs that seem to mimic the unique features of the vines.