Plum Blossoms at Night 1934

Torii Kotondo made this print, Plum Blossoms at Night, in the first half of the 20th century. The flat planes of colour work together to create a subdued harmony, like a nocturne in muted greens and whites. It's a reminder that printmaking, at its heart, is a process. Now, consider the surface. See how the black background is so deep and velvety? That ink just sits there, doesn’t it? It anchors the whole composition. Then there are the plum blossoms. Each one is a little burst of white, meticulously placed, like brushstrokes in a snow flurry. They are bold, aren't they? Almost sculptural against the dark. They remind me a little of Guston. And those lines, especially outlining the woman's profile? They’re so deliberate and clean. It's like Kotondo is saying, "Here, look at her, look at her stillness amidst this wild scene." It’s a really beautiful, quiet moment.