Drie kraanvogels 1826

This woodblock print shows three cranes and was made by Nakamura Hōchū some time before his death in 1819. The image’s deceptive simplicity belies the complex status of ornithological imagery in Japanese culture. Cranes, or tsuru, appear frequently in Japanese art. They are auspicious symbols connected to longevity and good fortune. They also play a role in Shinto mythology, where they are viewed as messengers from the gods. This helps to explain why they are so frequently depicted in art associated with temples and shrines. In terms of visual codes, the image is minimal, but the elegance and graphic clarity of the line speak of formal training, probably at the hands of a master of the Rinpa school. The study of artistic lineages and schools is always essential to an understanding of pre-modern art, but social and cultural context is crucial to the task of interpretation. This requires in-depth research.