Horses beneath a flowering plum tree

A black, a white, and a spotted horse stand at the edge of a stream, beneath a flowering plum tree. In pointed contrast to the detailed drawing of the tree, the horses are printed in reserve, without outlines. Internal definition is achieved by means of karazuri, sometimes known as “blind-printing” or “gauffrage.” In this technique, blank areas of the design are pressed on the carved block to create low relief embossed patterns without the use of color. The mane and tail of the white horse have the most karazuri, but there are embossed details on all three animals.
Shigemasa was founder of the Kitao school, whose members included Kubo Shunman (nos. 99, 100) and Kitao Masanobu, also known as Santō Kyōden (no. 68). Over the course of his career, Shigemasa designed more than 250 illustrated books in addition to many single sheet prints. This deluxe, experimental print was probably created at the bequest of a private patron, or possibly members of a poetry circle. Stylistically, the print belongs to the 1770s, so if it was made as a calendar print (egoyomi) for a “horse” year it could be dated to 1774.