Algae Cushion - Ukiyo-E Needlepoint

Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art that flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Made famous by Hokusai and Hiroshige, these paintings and woodblock prints depict daily life in a bold, graphic style – to stunning effect. A particularly wonderful example is Evening Rain at Eitai Bridge, a print designed by Hiroshige in 1840, which inspired our Ukiyo-e fabric collection and now our Ukiyo-e cushion. The design, created here in needlepoint, showcases many styles of stitching and over-embroidery to interpret the lines and textures in the original woodblock print. Algae has a palette of muted tones, including sage, stone and taupe, reminiscent of the earthy hues of traditional Japanese woodblock prints.