Falcon on Snow-covered Pine c. 1840 - 1842

Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print shows a falcon perched on a snow-laden pine branch. This image speaks volumes about the social and cultural context of 19th-century Japan. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate enforced a rigid social hierarchy, with the samurai class at the top. Falconry was a pursuit closely associated with the samurai, a symbol of their power and privilege. Hiroshige’s choice of subject matter subtly acknowledges this hierarchy. By depicting the falcon in such detail and prominence, he is also engaging with a tradition of bird-and-flower painting, where each element carries symbolic weight. The pine tree, for example, represents longevity and resilience. What makes this print interesting is that it was produced for a wider audience, as part of the flourishing commercial art market in Edo. While celebrating traditional values, it also makes them available for consumption. Historical records and studies of the publishing industry can tell us more about the complex relationship between art, commerce, and social status in this period.