Poppy flowers
1908-04
Bold red poppies bloom against a textured background of soft blue-green and slate grey, bisected by a striking horizontal band of stylized grey dragonflies. Created in 1908 by Hashiguchi Goyō, this piece captures a pivotal moment when the artist was blending Japanese motifs with Western Art Nouveau aesthetics, long before he became famous for his exquisite *shin-hanga* portraits of beautiful women. The flowing, organic lines and flat colors suggest this was likely a design for textiles or kimono fabric, reflecting the modernist trend of the era. The Dutch title 'Klaprozen' (meaning Poppies) hints at its presence in European collections, showcasing the global appetite for Japanese design at the turn of the century.
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