Picture Book: Flowers Yet to be Picked, Vol. 1 1615 - 1868

Picture Book: Flowers Yet to be Picked, Vol. 1, was created by Nishikawa Sukenobu in Japan during a time when art and culture flourished under the Tokugawa shogunate. Nishikawa's delicate woodblock prints often depicted women in domestic settings or engaged in leisurely activities, yet these seemingly gentle images were produced within the strict social hierarchies of Edo-period Japan. The women are adorned in elaborate kimonos, their beauty a reflection of the expectations placed upon them, and their worth often tied to their social standing or marital prospects. There is a sense of quiet longing in the work, perhaps an emotional echo of the limited roles available to women of the era. These images can be appreciated for their aesthetic beauty, while acknowledging the complex interplay of gender, class, and societal expectations. The book serves as a poignant reminder of the human stories—the joys, constraints, and aspirations—that are often hidden within the art of the past.