Cover of Akiko Yosano 'midare-gami'(disordered Hair) 1901

Fujishima Takeji designed this book cover for Akiko Yosano's poetry collection using pink and green inks on paper. I'm imagining Fujishima at work, trying to capture the wild, untamed spirit of Yosano’s poetry. Maybe he started with a sketch, then added those bold colors, layer by layer, letting each one speak. That arrow piercing the heart, for instance – it's not just decoration. It's a symbol of how love, when it hits you, can be a bit of a shock! The stylized hair, those whimsical flowers, and the floating circles and shapes—all done with such deliberate care and flair. You see echoes of Art Nouveau, with its love for flowing lines and nature, but also something uniquely Japanese in the design's restraint and elegance. It makes you wonder what other artists Fujishima was looking at, and who, in turn, has looked at this cover and felt a spark of inspiration. It's all one big conversation, this thing we call art.