Keika Hasegawa Two White with Red Chrysanthemums

Two White with Red Chrysanthemums
8 3/4 by 12 inches
KIK48 $135

In Japan, the chrysanthemum, or kiku, is the symbol of the sun, perfection, long life, power and nobility. The official flower of Japan and the seal of the Imperial family it is also the insignia on every Japanese passport. Artist Keika Hasegawa illustrates their beauty in One Hundred Chrysanthemums, printed in 1893. Each print features a perfect bloom balanced atop a long single-stemmed plant. In life, cultivated through the art of ogiku (“single stem”), these plants can reach six feet tall with enormous blossoms.