Crow amid Cherry Blossoms
ca. 1903
Hobun, more than any of his nihonga contemporaries, was renowned as a painter of flowers. He was especially associated with the depiction of Japan's iconic cultural symbol, the cherry blossom, which imparts to Hobun's work a flavor of nationalism. In this painting the frilly leaves of the double-layered yaezakura cherry are contrasted with a solitary crow, its alert body poised to capture a passing insect.
Ink and colors on silk
80 1/2 x 31 1/8 in. (204.5 x 79.1 cm)
Gift of Griffith and Patricia Way, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
2010.41.2