The Art of the Cherry Blossom
Great tit on cherry blossom branch. By Utagawa Hiroshige. Color woodblock print; yotsugiriban Japanese, 1830-1839. Credit Line: Clarence Buckingham Collection. Public Domain.
Photos taken by Saudi traveler and adventurer Fatema Abdulla. Rediscover a piece in Ithraeyat by a Saudi traveler to Japan.
Rare, delicate and profound, the cherry blossom — known in Japan as sakura — remains one of the most iconic symbols of Japanese culture and their deep connection to nature’s gifts.
Embodying symbolic beliefs of importance, hope and renewal, these magical trees are in full bloom for just one week — between March to early May.
After the brief period of full bloom, the flowers start to flutter gracefully from their trees, and a natural artistic canvas is delicately painted by nature through the floating falling white and pink petals to the ground.
The sakura are so revered amongst the Japanese as symbols of human life’s transient yet noble journey, that they hold special flower watching gatherings, known as hanami, to honor these cherry blossom trees.
Although of the artificial variety, cherry blossoms did visit Ithra during the Japan Cultural Days, and left a beautiful impression on all those who visited.
We now leave you with a few lines that capture the essence of the magical sakura through one of Japan’s masters of haiku poetry.
Cherry blossom comes to Ithra part of Japan Cultural Days — while artificial, still left an impact of awe on its visitors. Photo by Rym Al-Ghazal.
Discover Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), who is known as a master of the ukiyo-e woodblock printing tradition. He created 8,000 prints of everyday life and landscape in Edo-period Japan with a splendid, saturated ambience. A special thank you to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Here are some of his beautiful pieces.
Swallows, pleach blossoms, and full moon By Utagawa Hiroshige. Color woodblock print; otanzaku. Japanese, 1830-1839.
Credit Line: Clarence Buckingham Collection. Public Domain.
Great tit and cherry blossoms By Utagawa Hiroshige. Color woodblock print; aitanzaku. Japanese, 1797-1858. Credit Line: Clarence Buckingham Collection. Public Domain.
