Bijutsukai Pl.162
1901
Sandwiched between deep black voids, a creamy horizontal band bursts with stylized grey pine trees that look remarkably like starbursts or fireworks. Light blue circular shapes, resembling abstract birds or crests, float among the branches, creating a rhythmic, decorative pattern. Created by Furuya Kōrin for the influential art magazine *Bijutsukai* in 1901, this illustration showcases the 'Shin-Rinpa' (New Rinpa) movement. Kōrin was a master of reviving traditional Japanese decorative arts during the Meiji period, giving classic nature motifs a bold, graphic twist that feels surprisingly modern and almost Art Nouveau in its design.