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Collections

Kamisaka Sekka
Flowers of One Hundred Worlds1909/1910

Not on view
Japanese ink calligraphy on cream paper, four vertical columns of flowing cursive script in black brush strokes, with a two-character notation in the lower right
Japanese woodblock print of white peony blossoms with dark gray-green foliage and accents of coral-pink buds, gold stamens at center, against a pale cream background; cropped composition with blossoms extending beyond the edges
Woodblock print of a dense cluster of blue iris flowers with dark green foliage in the foreground, a silvery-grey mist and low bridge visible across the middle ground, flat areas of color with minimal outline detail.
Woodblock print depicting a pine tree with bold brown brushstroke-style trunk and branches extending from lower left to upper right, surrounded by loosely rendered blossoms in red, orange, and teal against a pale ground.
Japanese woodblock print or painting depicting the upper corner of a traditional tiled roof in pale ochre, with white-blossoming shrubs with green leaves growing along its ridge and at left, against a flat gray ground with a faint silver moon disk.
Japanese woodblock print or ink painting of a seated warrior in purple lamellar armor and blue patterned hakama, black court cap on head, quiver of arrows on back, writing with a brush on an unrolled scroll; flat areas of color with bold outlines on a cream ground with pale ochre cloud forms.
Woodblock print of a snow-covered mountain peak filling the lower portion of the composition, with deep blue rocky crags at left and base against a flat peach-toned sky, rendered in broad flat areas of color.
Woodblock print or pochoir design of a partially open folding fan, cropped close and filling the composition. The fan features two distinct sections: a dark navy field scattered with small gold Japanese characters, and a gray zone with swirling wave patterns in white. Pale green ribs and a black lacquered handle extend from the lower right corner against a cream background.
Japanese woodblock print of morning glory vines with deep blue flowers and green leaves climbing against a background of vertical bamboo stalks rendered in gray wash.
Japanese painting on silk, a white phoenix in right profile with wings raised and head tilted upward, its sweeping tail feathers extending left across a warm gold ground, with small green eye-spot markings on the tail and red accents on the head
Woodblock print of a lone figure in dark robes and a wide-brimmed straw hat, bent forward against a heavy snowfall, rendered as a near-silhouette with small white flecks of snow covering the figure and pale grey background.
Printed page with Japanese text in brush-style characters arranged in vertical columns on cream-colored paper, with a title column at upper right and rows of entries below.
Japanese painting on paper, standing court figure in white robes with gold floral patterns over a red hakama skirt, holding a decorative fan, one hand raised to a green bamboo frame flanked by bundles of brush or kindling
Woodblock print of a white egret beside a large dark basket or hat rendered in bold black and tan geometric lattice pattern, set against stylized green reeds and a blue waterway, with flat decorative areas of color.
Japanese painting on silk with flat washes of color; a small sparrow with brown cap and spotted breast stands on snow beside tall green bamboo stalks and torn leaves, against a muted gray background.
Printed Japanese colophon page on cream paper, with columns of vertical Japanese text in black ink, a rectangular woodblock-printed seal with two characters at upper left, and a red stamped publisher's seal at lower left.
Japanese woodblock print of white chrysanthemum blossoms with dark gray-green foliage arching across a tan and pale gray background, petals rendered with fine stippled lines.
Album leaf in ink and color on paper, depicting a dramatically curved dark plum tree trunk with green lichen clusters, a slender branch bearing white blossoms extending to the left, and a tan wall with a green latticed window at right.
Japanese painting of a woman in three-quarter view wearing a white robe with blue floral motifs and blue collar, her head tilted upward toward branches of red maple leaves, rendered in flat areas of color with fine ink outlines on a cream ground.
Woodblock print of a coastal landscape with fishing nets draped over vertical poles against a deep blue sky, sandy dunes in tan and white, with small teal diamond details on net weights or floats.
Japanese painting on paper depicting spotted deer on a pale green hillside, surrounded by stylized dark green trees with exposed grey trunks rendered in broad, fluid brushwork. Three deer stand while one reclines in the foreground.
Japanese woodblock print of two figures in elaborate kimono — one red with small floral pattern, one white with blue cloud-and-pine motifs — walking closely together, both wearing flat-brimmed kasa hats, against a pale background of bare-branched trees with red buds.
Woodblock print of a stylized wave in cream and gray against a muted blue background, with a large rounded wave form at center and curling foam at upper right, rendered in flat graphic shapes with subtle texture.
Ink on cream paper, columns of Japanese or Chinese cursive calligraphy arranged in a grid-like table of contents layout, with characters written in fluid brushwork.
Japanese woodblock print of tall grasses with white arching blades rendered in flat silhouette against softly graded gray hills and a pale cream sky.
Japanese watercolor painting on cream paper; a barefoot figure in white robes and tall black court cap bends forward, sweeping scattered red maple leaves with a dark broom, rendered in fluid brushwork with pale washes of blue and green.
Japanese woodblock print depicting a figure in layered robes with red brocade and pale blue outer garment, bent forward with long black hair cascading downward, holding a thin red staff, against a cream background with dark ink washes and green foliage.
Japanese woodblock print depicting a large black ox-cart decorated with wisteria blossoms and pine branches in blue-green tones; a seated male figure rests his chin on his hand beside the cart's wheel, while a woman in a pink kimono stands nearby at left.
Japanese woodblock print of hydrangea blossoms in blue, purple, and blue-violet, filling the composition with large green leaves and a pale green cylindrical vase; gold veining details the flower clusters against a warm tan ground.
Japanese illustrated album spread showing three figures in dynamic poses, each wearing elaborately patterned kimono. Left figure in red geometric-patterned robes with a wide-brimmed green hat. Center figure in black kimono with checkered hem, carrying a child on their back. Right figure in blue and red kimono with bold leaf motifs. Flat, graphic style with rich color.
Japanese woodblock print of a rooster with red comb, white body, and black tail, seen through vertical green bamboo fence stakes beneath a wooden roof overhang, flat areas of color with bold outlines.
Woodblock print of cascading wisteria branches filling the composition, with deep blue and white flower clusters among dark green leaves on a warm tan ground, rendered in flat bold shapes.
Woodblock print or brush painting depicting a young child in blue clothing reclining against a large black ox, holding a green flute to their lips, rendered in flat areas of color with minimal outlines against a pale background.
Ink painting on paper; a white bear rendered in fluid brushwork faces a small snail at left, while dark bamboo stalks at right partially conceal a wide-eyed animal peering forward; cream ground with gray ink washes.
Japanese woodblock print depicting multiple figures in black robes scattered diagonally across overlapping beige geometric planes, rendered in flat areas of black, gray, green, red, and yellow with bold outlines in a dynamic, fragmented composition.
Japanese painting on black ground depicting Raijin, the thunder deity, rendered in green with horns, fangs, and wild hair rendered as swirling gray lines; figure wears blue drapery and a tiger-skin loincloth, wielding a drum mallet; two red-and-white tomoe-patterned drums float at left.
Woodblock print on two joined sheets depicting flowing water rendered as horizontal bands of pale blue with fine undulating line patterns against a soft beige ground, suggestive of a river or estuary viewed from above.
Printed Japanese colophon page with vertical columns of black Japanese text on cream paper, including a rectangular red publisher's seal at lower left.
Japanese painting on paper, sweeping branches of a weeping cherry tree with white blossoms and fine needle-like green foliage, rendered in mineral pigments against a warm tan ground, with flat decorative brushwork.
Japanese woodblock print or painting of a kabuki actor in heavily exaggerated costume: a voluminous rust-red robe with large concentric square patterns in white dominates the composition, the figure's stylized face with bold makeup and white headgear emerging small at upper center, a sword visible at upper left.
Japanese woodblock print depicting a traveler with a large dark pack on their back, visible from the shoulders up behind a sweeping green hillside curve, with a small flowering tree bearing red blossoms in the upper left.
Japanese painting on paper, a court figure in a dark purple floral-patterned kimono and black eboshi cap gazes into a wooden boat, with hanging green willow fronds above and a red-wrapped object resting in the vessel.
Woodblock print with bold, sweeping black plum branches bearing white blossoms and green lichen against a black ground, with a large pale circular form at left and a hanging red tanzaku poetry card with ink brushwork at right.
Japanese woodblock print depicting three figures in tan robes and conical hats, leaning forward along a diagonal rope against a grey background, with a snow-white bank at lower left; flat, graphic style with minimal detail.
Japanese woodblock print of three red-crowned cranes with black necks and white bodies perched among green pine branches, against a warm beige ground, rendered in flat bold color areas.
Printed page with Japanese calligraphy arranged in vertical columns on cream-colored paper, brush-written characters in black ink forming a table of contents layout.
Japanese woodblock print depicting two women in patterned robes working at a small loom beneath a thatched overhang, with a latticed window at left and soft gray washes suggesting an overcast sky.
Woodblock print of a round woven basket rendered in dark brown, with green leaves, a white flower with yellow center, and small blue patches visible through the latticed openings, on a cream background.
Ink painting on paper, a rotund bald figure in dark robes seated cross-legged, rendered with fluid brushwork in black ink wash against a cream ground, with a small round object at left and a white curved form at right.
Japanese woodblock print of a small white dog curled inside layered fabric wrappings with floral and geometric kimono patterns in pink, red, blue, and gray, alongside a black-handled hand mirror.
Watercolor or ink wash painting on paper depicting a row of dark gray, loosely painted organic forms rising upward against a white ground, with green and blue color blocks in the upper background. Jagged black brushwork crowns each form, suggesting vegetation or roots, rendered with fluid, gestural technique.
Double-page woodblock print of a mountain landscape, with a large rounded green hill dominating the center, a blue mountain peak at upper left, and clusters of white blossoms along the slopes against a pale pink sky.
Japanese woodblock print of a seated figure in profile reading papers, wearing a patterned pale blue and white kimono with a dark outer robe, hair arranged in a formal upswept style, seated on a small orange lacquered stool; flat areas of color with fine ink linework on cream paper.
Japanese woodblock print depicting a dark gray boat floating on stylized waves, with an arrangement of white lilies, pink peonies, red clusters, and yellow blossoms with green foliage spilling over its side.
Japanese woodblock print depicting an autumn garden scene viewed from above, with bold red and dark green foliage dominating the upper portion, a curved rooftop partially visible among the leaves, and a winding stream or path below rendered in soft grey tones with scattered yellow dots suggesting fallen blossoms.
Japanese woodblock print of a court nobleman in voluminous blue robes and tall black formal cap, seated outdoors among autumn grasses, yellow flowers, and white-blossoming shrubs, with crossed bamboo poles and a weathered post in the background; flat areas of color with fine botanical detail
Japanese landscape painting with flat, stylized forms depicting thatched-roof farmhouses and blossoming trees along a winding stream, soft grey mountains in the background, rendered in muted greens, browns, and cream tones.
Japanese folding screen painting, a sinuous blue-gray river winding through silvered sky panels, with a flock of cranes in silhouette flying across the composition and dense grasses rendered in fine brushwork along the lower edge.
Woodblock print or color illustration of several green herbaceous plants emerging from a pale, snow-covered ground against a plain cream background, rendered in flat simplified forms with varied leaf shapes.
Printed colophon page with vertical columns of Japanese text on cream paper, including a rectangular bordered stamp at upper left and a red seal impression at lower left.
Japanese painting on paper, aerial landscape view of a white sandy shore or snow-covered islets surrounded by stylized blue waves rendered in fine parallel lines. A small red torii gate stands among simplified pine trees with dark brown trunks and flat green foliage, depicted in a bold, graphic style.
Ink and wash drawing in gray tones, a large rounded dark hill dominates the composition with a diamond lattice triangular form on its face; a pale circular moon at upper left, dense crosshatched grass in the foreground, and a small windowed structure at center
Japanese woodblock print depicting large overlapping leaves in deep green and near-black with gold-veined detail, pale pink clustered blossoms at lower left, and lavender flowers on delicate branching stems against a cream ground.
Japanese woodblock print or painting depicting a lone figure in a dark kimono with a teal obi and white head covering, walking between flooded rice paddies in muted green and pink tones, viewed from a slightly elevated angle with flat, simplified forms.
Fan-shaped painting on grey paper depicting seven stylized heads of Noh theater figures crowded together, including masked faces with white complexions, a figure in a tall black eboshi cap, and characters in layered robes of red, blue, and green, rendered in flat areas of color with fine ink line work.
Japanese woodblock print depicting a white dragon's head and claw emerging from dark gray clouds, with amber-colored eyes, whiskers, and bared teeth, rendered in flat pale tones against a dark background.
Japanese woodblock print of a court figure seen from behind, seated and wearing a tall black kammuri hat and layered green and purple robes with red lining, surrounded by scattered white petals on a cream ground.

Kamisaka Sekka, Flowers of One Hundred Worlds, 1909/1910 (alternate view), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, East Asian Art Council Fund, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

Artist or Maker
Kamisaka Sekka
Japan, 1866-1942
Title
Flowers of One Hundred Worlds
Date Made
1909/1910
Period
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Medium
Set of (three) woodblock printed albums; ink and colors on paper
Dimensions
11 7/8 x 8 7/8 in. (30.16 x 22.54 cm) each
Credit Line
East Asian Art Council Fund
Accession Number
M.2005.78a-c
Classification
Books
Collecting Area
Japanese Art
Curatorial Notes

Flowers of One Hundred Worlds, or Momoyogusa, is a three-volume compendium of designs by Kamisaka Sekka. Encompassing figures, flora, and landscape in a blend of old and new, the collection showcases Sekka’s innovative approach to the Rinpa pictorial tradition. This striking spread of a rolling, curling wave against a silvery moon is an adept example. Sekka captures the wave’s dynamic movement, reminiscent of that of such artists as Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716) and Maruyama Ōkyo (1733–1795)—Sekka trained in the lineage of Ōkyo’s Maruyama-Shijō School in Kyoto—as well as Hokusai (17601849). Yet Sekka interprets the subject in a modern way, with a simplified color scheme and bold form. In 1901, he attended the Glasgow International Exhibition and studied European craft traditions, resulting in his unique amalgamation of Japanese and Western design idioms. The Momoyogusa represents the pinnacle of his work.

Selected Bibliography
  • Singer, Robert T., and Kawai Masatomo, editors. The Life of Animals in Japanese Art. Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 2019.