balcou

This is a visual celebration of the glories of floral beauty and the ephemeral nature of the seasons in a handsome Japanese-style accordion-fold book with open binding and slipcased with an informational booklet.

The serenity of nature and the graceful beauty of flowers are traditional themes in classical Japanese art that are embraced and appreciated worldwide. Here, they are presented in a carefully curated collection of stunning full-color reproductions of classic works by Japanese artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Utamaro.

Meticulously executed in great and realistic detail and awash in rich and subtle color, this one-of-a-kind art book--featuring an ever-scrolling concertina format--showcases the perennial appeal of Japanese woodblock prints celebrating the ephemeral bounty of flowers in all stages of bloom.

Beautiful and elegant, this specially chosen collection features the classic flowers that symbolize the progression of the seasons in Japanese culture--cherry and plum blossoms, camellias, peonies, iris, lilies, roses, wisteria, hibiscus, water lilies, chrysanthemums. It is sure to delight gardeners, floral artists, designers, art lovers, as well as fans of Japanese culture.

Amélie Balcou is an art historian with a degree from the Sorbonne, Paris. She has written extensively on Asian art and is the author of The Four Seasons.