Flying Geese 

Editor: This is Utagawa Hiroshige's "Flying Geese," made sometime before 1858. The composition is so striking; the geese seem to be diving right off the surface! What kind of symbolic weight do you think geese carry in Japanese art? Curator: Geese, or "kari," are potent symbols. They represent autumn, but more deeply, they speak to a longing for home, a seasonal return. Do you notice how the moon, traditionally a symbol of enlightenment, is partially obscured? Editor: I hadn't considered that. Is there a suggestion that clarity or understanding is also partially obscured, like the moon? Curator: Precisely! Perhaps a journey towards enlightenment isn't always clear or easy. The geese, then, become emblems of resilience in the face of obscured vision, their flight a persistent pursuit. Editor: That gives me a new appreciation for how layered the symbolism can be in this image, thank you. Curator: And for me, it highlights how the image speaks across time, resonating with our own journeys and longings.