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Plum Garden At Kameido Analysis

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The Plum Garden at Kameido, is a woodblock print that focuses on the branch of a plum tree with a background consisting of varying washes of color. A reddish-pink sky gradually fades into white, in turn transferring once more into the green hue of the ground. The middle ground of the piece shows twelve people on the other side of a fence and it appears as if they are going about their daily business. The middle ground also possesses several other plum trees, all of which seem in the beginnings of their bloom. Closest to the viewer, the focal point of the piece, stands the main Plum tree with its branches swinging from the left at sharp angles and moving to the right. Although most of the shapes appear flat, with limited shadows, the estate contains greater depth through an incorporation of proper scale, perspective, and overlapping qualities. Near the top of the piece small green and red rectangles add to the design, their locations in the upper right and lower left corners playing upon one another in a pleasing manner. The scroll-like shapes contain Japanese script, said to contain the artist's name and other information.
The image is captured in Spring. The image of the plum …show more content…

The bright-white double-blossoms of the plum tree are believed to keep darkness away and their domination within the space give the scene a sense of life. In Japanese culture, blooming gardens become the focus of many traditions and cultural practices. In the Heian Period, the Japanese were greatly influenced by China, including the practice of flower viewing in the spring, while fruit trees were in full blossom. The plum tree, with its large white blossoms, was originally one of the most highly acclaimed trees in China. This idea made its way to Japan and symbolized early spring, while the cherry blossom found association with late

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