Yanagawa Shigenobu II
Yanagawa Shigenobu II was a Japanese printmaker active during the late Edo period, documented between 1817 and 1834. His known body of work consists primarily of individual prints, seven of which are represented in major international museum holdings.
His subjects often engaged with thematic series focusing on cultural comparisons and seasonal references. Key examples preserved in collections include pieces from the series "A Comparison of Flowers (Hana awase)," featuring the works No. 3: Silent Flower (Mono iwanu hana), No. 4: Personally Arranged Flower (Teike no hana), and No. 6: Flower of the Capital (Miyako no hana). He is also represented by works such as Summer Robes (Natsugoromo) from the series "A Comparison of Incense (Takimono awase)," and the print Kaori-mono-awase, Gyoshu.
The preservation of his work in prominent institutions, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, establishes the importance of Yanagawa Shigenobu II prints within the history of Japanese art. Documentation of these museum-quality works often contributes to the public domain, making high-quality prints available for scholarly and educational use.
