The Yang Guifei Cherry Tree (Yokihisakura), from the series "Cherry Trees for the Katsushika Circle (Katsushika sakuratsukushi)" c. 1821 - 1822

Yashima Gakutei created the woodblock print "The Yang Guifei Cherry Tree" as part of his "Cherry Trees for the Katsushika Circle" series. The print balances two-dimensional decorative patterns with depth and volume. Look how Gakutei plays with geometric forms, contrasting the intricate latticework above with the rhythmic lines of the balustrade. The artist repeats and varies patterns like the textile on the woman’s robe and the swirling curtain behind her, creating visual harmony and visual complexity. Gakutei emphasizes the artificiality of the scene through these formal choices, blurring distinctions between interior and exterior, reality and representation, and invites us to consider the constructed nature of beauty and perception itself. The carefully chosen color palette of muted blues, reds, and purples enhances the print's overall aesthetic appeal. Gakutei uses these techniques to draw attention to the print as an object of artifice and design.