Peony Snowflakes 1934

Torii Kotondo made this woodblock print, Peony Snowflakes, and the delicate marks describe the falling snow. The artist must have labored over this image. I can almost see him carving into the block, printing it, and then carving another block for each color—repeating the process for every layer and detail. I can imagine him thinking about other artists who had come before him, and I think about the contemporary artists who continue to be inspired by Japanese woodblock prints to this day. Look at how the artist uses a combination of flat planes and subtle gradations to define the planes of the face, the folds of the kimono, the texture of the umbrella. And notice how, with each little gesture, the artist manages to evoke a specific mood, a feeling of quiet contemplation amidst the falling snow. This piece is part of a long conversation. It is a language that painters still speak today.