Kano Yoshinobu (17301790)
Ornamental peonies in a garden, late 18thearly 19th century

Kano Yoshinobu was head of the Saruya-machi branch of the Edo Kano school, whose primary duty was to supply works to the Shogunate and feudal lords. The brocade mounting of these ornate hanging scrolls contains the triple hollyhock crest of the ruling Tokugawa family. Most of the pictorial space is occupied by stands of giant peonies in full bloom. Butterflies have gathered in search of nectar, and they are joined by dragonflies and grasshoppers. The peonies in the right-hand scroll are tossed by a breeze. Dandelions blossom at the bottom left of the left-hand scroll. The white, pink, yellow, and red of the peonies stand out in brilliant contrast to the luminous dark-blue background.

With subjects ranging from fine art, nature, and architecture to humor, the metaphysical, and more, Pomegranates interlocking jigsaw puzzles combine stunning images, superb color reproduction, and sturdy construction to delight generations of novice and veteran puzzle solvers alike.