ABOUT THIS COLLECTION  
All from the late 19th century, these illustrations evoke a unique sense of visual enchantment while documenting an important period of Japanese culture. First invented in China around the second century B.C., firework displays began in Japan in the early 1600s as a form of entertainment for feudal lords. Called hanabi, or flower fire, Japanese firework artistry is very demanding and refined but relatively little known outside Japan. The most common firework displays used in the world today, known as the chrysanthemum and peony, actually originated in Japan in the 1920s. In this collection you'll also find records of daytime hanabi, or balloons shaped like frogs, horses, and more. These originated in Japan and are not traditional fireworks, although some launched flags, confetti or floating figures onto delighted spectators.
 
COLLECTION DETAILS
Series title: Flowers of Fire: Illustrations from Japanese Fireworks Catalogues
Series size: 16 artworks
Edition: Limited edition of 1000
Proof of Ownership: Certification on the Ethereum blockchain under the ERC1155 protocol. Each artwork is delivered privately and directly to collectors as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that guarrante proof of ownership.
Format: Pieces consist of PNG files sized 2160x3840 pixels - 150 dpi.
Medium: Illustration
Artwork materials: Premium fine art illustration paper
Contract Address: 0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e
ID: 2749212597480566...
 
ABOUT THE ARTIST
The illustrator behind these images is unnamed, but the fireworks themselves demonstrate enormous artistry that is specific to Japan. Generally, Japanese firework masters, or hanabishi, create shells that explode into large, perfect spheres, which makes the chrysanthemum-shaped firework, considered by many in Japan to be the most beautiful of all. From the 1920s, hanabishi have improved on the chrysanthemum’s single, small flaming sphere, adding  the eruption of a second, larger sphere and then a third one that is larger still. For a brief moment the three rings hang together in the sky before fading away.  Today’s hanabishi are  making chrysanthemums with five concentric circles, which requires great pyrotechnic skill and as much as a year of preparation.
 
COLLECTION CREDITS
Historical curatorship: HARI - Historical Art Research Institute (HARI Editions)
Artwork: Hirayama Fireworks Co.
Year of original publication: ca. 1880s
Post-production: HARI - Historical Art Research Institute (HARI Editions)
Digital art supervisor: Marie-Lou Desmeules
Editorial: Braden Phillips
Historical research: Evangelos Rosios, Braden Phillips
Executive production: Victor Zabrockis
 
RIGHTS OVERVIEW
Source of artwork: Yokohama City Central Library
Underlying work rights: PD Worldwide
Digital copyrights: Pending clarification