Peonies in the Wind, early 19th century, Sakai H?itsu, Japanese, 1761 - 1828, 41 3/8 ¡Ñ 15 3/4 in. (105.09 ¡Ñ 40.01 cm) (image)75 9/16 ¡Ñ 19 9/16 in. (191.93 ¡Ñ 49.69 cm) (mount, without roller), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan, 19th century, Two peonies in full bloom sway as a gust of wind pushes them forward¡Xrain is coming. Every year, Japan has a rainy season from June to July called tsuyu, or 'plum rain,' so named because the timing matches the ripening of plums. Although commonly depicted in Japanese paintings as a subject, peonies were not native to Japan but originated in China. Peonies exploded in popularity among gardeners in the late 1600s, ahead of the morning glory boom in the 1800s¡Xreflected in the nearby painting of morning glories by Watanabe Nangaku.