Yūgao dana nōryō zu

A hand-painted replica of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s masterpiece Yūgao dana nōryō zu, meticulously crafted by professional artists to capture the true essence of the original. Each piece is created with museum-quality canvas and rare mineral pigments, carefully painted by experienced artists with delicate brushstrokes and rich, layered colors to perfectly recreate the texture of the original artwork. Unlike machine-printed reproductions, this hand-painted version brings the painting to life, infused with the artist’s emotions and skill in every stroke. Whether for personal collection or home decoration, it instantly elevates the artistic atmosphere of any space.

"Yūgao dana nōryō zu" (夕顔棚納涼図) is a woodblock print created by the renowned Japanese artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), one of the last great masters of the ukiyo-e tradition. Yoshitoshi is celebrated for his innovative approach to traditional woodblock printing, his dramatic compositions, and his ability to capture human emotion and psychological depth.

This particular artwork, whose title translates to "Enjoying the Coolness by the Evening Glory Trellis," is part of Yoshitoshi's oeuvre that often depicted scenes of beauty, nature, and human interaction. The print portrays a serene moment of leisure during the summer, with figures enjoying the cool evening air under a trellis adorned with yūgao (evening glory) flowers. The yūgao flower, a type of gourd flower that blooms in the evening, carries poetic and symbolic significance in Japanese culture, often associated with fleeting beauty and the transience of life.

Yoshitoshi's work is characterized by his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to blend traditional Japanese aesthetics with a modern sensibility. In "Yūgao dana nōryō zu," he employs delicate lines and a harmonious color palette to evoke a sense of calm and elegance. The composition reflects the Edo-period (1603–1868) interest in seasonal themes and the appreciation of nature's beauty, which were central to ukiyo-e art.

The exact date of this print's creation is not definitively documented, but it is consistent with Yoshitoshi's later works, which often explored themes of nostalgia and the passage of time. By the time this print was made, ukiyo-e was facing competition from new forms of art and technology, such as photography and Western-style painting. Despite these challenges, Yoshitoshi's works remained popular and influential, bridging the gap between traditional Japanese art and the modern era.

"Yūgao dana nōryō zu" is an example of Yoshitoshi's ability to capture the quiet beauty of everyday life while imbuing it with a sense of timelessness. Today, his prints are highly regarded by collectors and scholars, and they continue to be studied for their artistic and cultural significance.