{"product_id":"flowers-and-trees-of-the-four-seasons-left-screen-watanabe-shiko","title":"Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen) - Watanabe Shikō","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined Edo-period screen painting by Watanabe Shikō, featuring seasonal flora arranged against a luminous gold-leaf background.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatanabe Shikō was a prominent painter of the Edo period, associated with the Rinpa school. This work, representing the left screen of a pair, demonstrates the characteristic aesthetic of the period, which prioritises decorative composition and the use of metallic grounds. The artist employs gold leaf to create a luminous, reflective surface that suggests a space beyond the physical confines of the paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgainst this gilded backdrop, Shikō arranges various botanical subjects. The composition avoids centralisation, instead distributing flora across the lower portion of the screen. This approach creates a sense of natural growth while maintaining a highly stylised, ornamental quality. The brushwork is precise, capturing the specific characteristics of leaves, petals, and bark with clarity. The inclusion of seasonal plants allows the viewer to observe the transition of time through the natural world, a common theme in Japanese art of this era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShikō studied under Ogata Kōrin, and his work reflects the influence of his teacher through the bold use of colour and the integration of natural motifs into a flat, decorative framework. The gold leaf is applied in a manner that suggests drifting clouds or mist, providing a sense of depth without relying on traditional Western perspective. This screen functions as a study of seasonal change, rendered with a focus on balance and visual harmony. The application of ink and pigment over the gold ground requires technical precision, as the artist must manage the opacity of the colours to ensure they remain visible against the reflective surface. This piece remains a representative example of the Rinpa school's approach to nature, where the physical reality of the plants is secondary to their arrangement within a decorative, gold-filled space.\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=\"\/sv\/products\/books-of-flowers-and-a-writing-brush-ryuryukyo-shinsai\" 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;\"\u003eBooks of Flowers and a Writing Brush - Ryūryūkyo Shinsai — Ryūryūkyo Shinsai\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/sv\/products\/chrysanthemums-by-the-water-sakai-hoitsu\" 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;\"\u003eChrysanthemums by the Water - Sakai Hōitsu — Sakai Hōitsu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Watanabe Shikō","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58709144699215,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58709153481039,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58709153513807,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58709153546575,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58709153579343,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58709153612111,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58709153644879,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58709153677647,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58709153710415,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58709153743183,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58709153775951,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58709153808719,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Flowers-and-Trees-of-the-Four-Seasons-left-screen-_Poster_CompositorV1_1788821547746.jpg?v=1788822658","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/sv\/products\/flowers-and-trees-of-the-four-seasons-left-screen-watanabe-shiko","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}