Hollyhocks and Peacocks - Nishimura Shigenobu

A classic Japanese woodblock print by Nishimura Shigenobu featuring peacocks and hollyhocks in a traditional kacho-ga style.

This woodblock print by Nishimura Shigenobu, active during the mid-eighteenth century, belongs to the kacho-ga genre, which translates to pictures of flowers and birds. The composition features a pair of peacocks positioned amongst tall hollyhocks. The artist employs a balanced arrangement, placing the birds at the centre with the floral elements framing them. The line quality is calligraphic, reflecting the traditional techniques of the period where the woodblock carver followed the brush strokes of the designer.

The colour palette is restrained, relying on muted ochre, grey, and black tones typical of early benizuri-e or hand-coloured prints. The peacocks are rendered with a focus on the pattern of their plumage, using repetitive, stylised markings to suggest the texture of feathers. The hollyhocks are depicted with simplified, graphic leaves and blossoms, creating a decorative effect rather than a strictly naturalistic one. The background remains largely unadorned, which allows the subject matter to occupy the visual field without distraction.

Nishimura Shigenobu, who was also known as Ishikawa Toyonobu, produced works that often featured elongated figures or stylised natural subjects. This particular print demonstrates the aesthetic priorities of the Edo period, where the harmony between flora and fauna was a common theme in printmaking. The work is printed on paper that has aged to a warm, neutral tone, which complements the limited ink colours. It is a clear example of the graphic sensibilities found in Japanese print culture, where the economy of line and the deliberate placement of elements create a sense of order and balance. The print serves as a record of the stylistic conventions of the time, showing how artists of the era approached the depiction of nature through the medium of the woodblock.