Dragonflies II, by Kōno Bairei

Dragonflies II, by Kōno Bairei depicts a single damselfly alighting on a slender branch of flowering knotweed, its translucent wings rendered in delicate linework against a spray of deep maroon leaves and seed clusters. Bairei was a central figure in reviving traditional Japanese painting techniques during the Meiji period, publishing influential illustrated print compilations that shaped a generation of Nihonga artists.

Artist: Kōno Bairei (Japanese, 1844-1895).

Dragonflies II, by Kōno Bairei. Japanese Nature Illustration Canvas Print.