An actor as Mita no Tsuko and peonies, from the series "Ten Designs for the Honcho Circle (Honchoren jubantsuzuki)" c. 1822

Yashima Gakutei created this print called "An actor as Mita no Tsuko and peonies" using woodblock printing techniques. The print is divided into two distinct spaces: the upper section shows an actor rendered within an ornate, decorative medallion. His figure is solid, his expression fierce. In contrast, the lower section contains a framed image of peonies. The flowers are soft and delicate, rendered with subtle gradations of color. The juxtaposition of these two spaces prompts us to consider the relationship between performance and nature, and artifice and reality. The actor represents the world of the stage, while the peonies suggest the beauty and fragility of the natural world. By framing the peonies, Gakutei suggests that nature itself can be a work of art, something to be admired and contemplated. This print invites us to reflect on how we perceive and categorize the world around us and challenges the separation of nature and culture.