Cherry Blossom Rain 1905

Helen Hyde made this woodblock print, Cherry Blossom Rain, sometime in her career; she lived from 1868 to 1919. Looking at the way Hyde laid down these subtle fields of color, it feels as though she embraced the possibilities of her medium as a dance. It’s so process-driven, you know? In this piece, the texture is really interesting, especially when you think about the way woodblock prints are made. There’s this incredible layering of colors. The way she renders the falling rain and the cherry blossoms is so delicate, almost like a watercolor. Notice the umbrella, how the segments of color work together to create depth and form, not just as an object but also as a shield. The gentle gradation from light to dark gives the work a real sense of atmosphere, it reminds me a bit of Whistler, the way he used a muted palette to capture a mood. There's a sense of things emerging and dissolving, which is always how I've thought about how to make a painting.