Trio, Part Three 1786 - 1868

This Japanese woodblock print, Trio, Part Three, by Yashima Gakutei, features a woman playing the shamisen, a three-stringed lute. This instrument, alongside the koto and flute, makes up the traditional Japanese trio, or sankyoku, a performance of elegance. Behind her, evergreen branches suggest themes of resilience and longevity, recalling ancient fertility rites. These symbols echo across cultures. We find similar motifs in classical Roman art. The evergreen, a promise of continual return, much like the serpent eating its own tail, an emblem of cyclic time. The performance of music itself, a common motif found in classical and Renaissance art, often represents harmony and order, yet the performance of music transcends simple entertainment. It possesses the potential to plunge the listener into the depths of primal emotion. These symbols are not static, fixed points but living entities that evolve over time. They resurface and transform as humans seek to express fundamental truths about existence and emotion.