Picture Book: Flowers Yet to be Picked - Nishikawa Sukenobu

A refined woodblock print from the eighteenth-century Japanese picture book Ehon Suetsumuhana, featuring elegant figures in traditional attire.

This woodblock print originates from the illustrated book titled Ehon Suetsumuhana, or Picture Book: Flowers Yet to be Picked, produced by the Japanese artist Nishikawa Sukenobu. Sukenobu was a prolific figure in the Kyoto art scene during the early eighteenth century, known for his contributions to the development of the Ukiyo-e genre. His work often focused on the lives of women, capturing their daily activities and fashion with a refined, linear grace.

The composition presents two figures in a balanced, dual-page layout. On the left, a woman stands near a flowering branch, her gaze directed upward toward a small flock of birds. On the right, a second figure kneels near a water edge, holding a folding fan. Both women wear elaborate kimonos decorated with floral patterns, which demonstrate the artist's attention to textile detail. The surrounding environment is suggested through minimal lines, focusing the viewer's attention on the figures and the accompanying calligraphy.

Sukenobu's style is characterised by a gentle, flowing line quality that avoids the more dramatic or exaggerated forms found in later Ukiyo-e prints. The figures possess a serene quality, their postures and expressions conveying a sense of quiet contemplation. The integration of text and image is a hallmark of the ehon (picture book) format, where the calligraphy serves as both a narrative element and a visual component of the page design. This print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic values of the Edo period, reflecting a preference for elegance and harmony in graphic arts. The monochrome palette emphasises the clarity of the woodblock carving, allowing the viewer to appreciate the precision of the artist's draftsmanship without the distraction of colour.