{"title":"Takashima Chiharu","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"plum-branch-with-flowers-and-a-stand-with-a-writing-set-takashima-chiharu","title":"Plum Branch with Flowers and a Stand with a Writing Set - Takashima Chiharu","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined Japanese surimono woodblock print depicting a flowering plum branch alongside a scholar's writing desk, showcasing delicate line work and traditional motifs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Takashima Chiharu belongs to the genre of surimono, a form of privately commissioned, limited-edition print often exchanged among members of poetry circles in Japan. Unlike commercial prints produced for the mass market, surimono were printed on high-quality paper with sophisticated techniques, including embossing and metallic pigments. This work displays the refined aesthetic typical of the late Edo period, focusing on a quiet, domestic scene that combines natural elements with scholarly tools.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition features a flowering plum branch, a traditional symbol of resilience and the arrival of spring, positioned alongside an ornate stand. The stand holds a writing set, complete with brushes and an inkstone, suggesting the presence of a scholar or poet. A small figure is depicted seated at the stand, adding a narrative element to the still-life arrangement. The inclusion of calligraphic text in the upper portion of the print indicates that this piece was likely created to accompany a specific poem or to commemorate a gathering of literary enthusiasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnically, the print demonstrates the precision of the carver and printer. The lines are delicate, capturing the texture of the plum blossoms and the structure of the furniture. The colour palette remains restrained, relying on soft tones to maintain a sense of balance and harmony. The use of blind embossing on the petals provides a subtle, tactile quality that is characteristic of the finest surimono. By juxtaposing the organic form of the plum with the structured, man-made objects of the writing desk, the artist creates a visual dialogue between nature and human intellect. This print offers a glimpse into the private artistic culture of nineteenth-century Japan, where the appreciation of beauty was closely linked to the practice of literature and the mastery of the brush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/evening-glow-at-ryogoku-bridge-keisai-eisen\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eEvening Glow at Ryogoku Bridge - Keisai Eisen — Keisai Eisen\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/bamboo-quay-by-kyobashi-bridge-utagawa-hiroshige\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eBamboo Quay by Kyōbashi Bridge - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Takashima Chiharu","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59031881908559,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59031948427599,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59031948460367,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59031948493135,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59031948525903,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59031948558671,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59031948591439,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59031948624207,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59031948656975,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59031948689743,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59031948722511,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59031948755279,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Plum-Branch-with-Flowers-and-a-Stand-with-a-Writing-Set_Poster_CompositorV1_1791340752866.jpg?v=1791341497"},{"product_id":"illustrations-on-bugaku-bugakuzu-takashima-chiharu","title":"Illustrations on Bugaku (Bugakuzu) - Takashima Chiharu","description":"\u003cp\u003eA traditional woodblock print by Takashima Chiharu depicting two dancers in formal Bugaku court attire, rendered with clean lines and a classic palette.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print originates from the Bugakuzu, a series documenting the traditional Japanese court dance known as Bugaku. Takashima Chiharu, an artist active during the Meiji period, produced these illustrations to preserve the visual history of these ancient performances. The work depicts two dancers in formal costume, captured in distinct poses that suggest the measured, deliberate movements characteristic of the genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figures are rendered with clean, precise lines, typical of late nineteenth-century Japanese printmaking. The colour palette is restrained, relying on flat applications of red, blue, and green to define the elaborate robes and headgear. The composition is minimal, placing the dancers against a plain, off-white background to focus attention on the specific details of their attire and posture. Each figure is accompanied by Japanese calligraphy, which provides context regarding the specific dance or the number of performers involved in the sequence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBugaku has a history spanning over a millennium, having been introduced to the Japanese imperial court from the Asian mainland. By the time Chiharu created these prints, the tradition was maintained primarily within the imperial household. This documentation serves as a record of the costume and choreography that defined these ceremonies. The print reflects the technical precision of the woodblock medium, where the artist balances the decorative nature of the garments with the functional requirements of a reference illustration. The work provides a clear view into the aesthetic standards of the period, demonstrating a focus on clarity and historical accuracy rather than atmospheric effect. It remains a useful reference for those interested in the history of Japanese performing arts and the evolution of traditional costume design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/poet-ono-no-komachi-standing-beneath-willow-by-a-stream-torii-kiyonaga\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePoet Ono no Komachi Standing Beneath Willow by a Stream - Torii Kiyonaga — Torii Kiyonaga\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/example-of-peaceful-empire-utagawa-kunisada-iii\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eExample of Peaceful Empire – Utagawa Kunisada III — Utagawa Kunisada III\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Takashima Chiharu","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59034236617039,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59034340360527,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59034340393295,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59034340426063,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59034340458831,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59034340491599,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59034340524367,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59034340557135,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59034340589903,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59034340622671,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59034340655439,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59034340688207,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Illustrations-on-Bugaku-Bugakuzu-_Poster_CompositorV1_1791363601514.jpg?v=1791366171"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/collections\/takashima-chiharu.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}