A Wealth of Symbolism

Japanese bird-and-flower prints and decorative objects share a common language to express auspicious wishes and to symbolize specific concepts and ideas. This vocabulary, which is derived from Chinese and Japanese mythological, literary, and popular religious sources, can be used in a variety of combinations to signal different nuances of meaning. For example, in the large vertical print of a Falcon and Cherry Blossoms by Hokusai (acc. no. 34.498) included in this exhibition, although there is a seasonal reference to spring through the flowering cherry, the impact of the image resides in the dominant scale of the falcon as a symbol of martial strength. In contrast, Hiroshige’s print of the Falcon on a Pine Tree with the Rising Sun (acc. no. 34.277.2) subordinates the military aspect of the falcon to the New Year’s theme of the auspicious dream.

The deeply rooted cultural associations of these motifs resonate with meaning, whether it be simple seasonal references or more complicated allusions to historical tradition and to Chinese and Japanese literature. This exhibition highlights four aspects of that symbolism: New Year’s allusions, birds associated with the four seasons, the symbolic meanings of animals, and the auspicious connotations of flowers.