Orenco Originals for the Artful Needleworker !

Nasturtium Flowers by Kônan Tanigami 1917-1924

Kônan Tanigami, 1879–1928, was born in the Hyogo region of Japan. He is best known as a "Kachō-e Nihon-ga" artist. Kachō-e concentrates on studies of birds and flowers, as well as other scenes from nature, and Nihon-ga describes Japanese paintings from about 1900 onwards that have been made in accordance with traditional Japanese artistic conventions and techniques.

After establishing himself as an artist, Tanigami branched out and incorporated western art styles and subjects in his art. He is credited as one of the first Japanese artists to paint western flowers in vibrant colors.

 

  Spring Daffodil Flowers by Kônan Tanigami 1917-1924

 

In his lifetime Tanigami produced 5 volumes of paintings of Western plants.

 

Tanigami’s first 2 books were a set of works created in woodblocks, beautiful vibrant garden flowers in full bloom.  It is called Seiyo Soka Zofu, or a Pictorial Book of Western Flowers and was very carefully researched and included a great variety of western flowers. 

 

 Vintage flower illustrations and prints from Seiyo Soka Zufu by Japanese kacho-e artist Konan Tanigami. Beautiful floral paintings of Western Garden plants from our own original edition of the folio, published 1917 in Kyoto, Taisho Era.

 

In 1917 the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition - The Imperial Exhibition also known as Teiten selected Tanigami to produce a series of 24 peony prints. In 1923, after the close of the exhibition, the peony scenes were published in 2 volumes of pictures and then a 3-volume series named 'Shokei Kakicho' (meaning a Book of Flower Forms and Shapes). These books were excellent quality, both the images and the quality of paper that they were printed on.  These books stand out as superior to the smaller floral subjects previously produced in the Japanese print world.

 

Spring Flowers by Kônan Tanigami 1917-1924

He then produced 2 volumes which were each devoted to the summer and spring seasons, while the fifth volume was a combination of the plants and flowers that flourished in the winter autumn and seasons. Tanigami is often known for this signature peony series.

  Dahlia Flowers by Kônan Tanigami 1917-1924

Tanigami's style, techniques and color gradation elevated his works of nature and flowers above the traditional. He is still celebrated as one of the finest artists of this highly specialized technique. 

 

  Cyclamen Flowers by Kônan Tanigami 1917-1924