Red and White Camellia

About this work

Red and white camellias rest on a ground of kumohada-mashi paper, rendered in mineral pigments and water-based pigments with ink outlines that convey close botanical observation. Gold leaf and kirikane—fine strips of layered metal foil adhered by hand—thread through petals and background, bridging naturalistic depiction with ornamental patterning. The kirikane technique, rooted in the artist's study of Kamakura-period Buddhist painting conservation, lends the composition a measured luminosity distinct from surface gilding alone.