Mountain Cherry Blossoms c. 1877

Shibata Zeshin created this print of Mountain Cherry Blossoms in nineteenth-century Japan. We see figures ascending a hillside path towards a cluster of buildings, all framed by blossoming cherry trees. This print appears at a time when Japan was emerging from a long period of isolation and engaging with the West. Zeshin, however, deliberately cultivated an image as a defender of traditional Japanese art. Woodblock prints had long been a popular art form in Japan, but they were also becoming associated with cheap, mass-produced goods. Zeshin, trained in traditional painting, brought his fine art skills to the print medium, elevating its status. The subject matter, too, speaks to a nostalgic view of Japan. Cherry blossoms are a national symbol, representing the beauty and fragility of life. By depicting figures enjoying a leisurely stroll through the mountains, Zeshin evokes a sense of harmony and connection to nature, perhaps offering a counterpoint to the rapid modernization of the era. To understand Zeshin’s artistic choices, we can look to period writings on art and culture, exhibition reviews, and biographical information about the artist. Through this kind of research, we can understand how art reflects and shapes its historical context.