Black Birds and Tree Chickens in Pond Amid Lotus and Water Plantain c. 1683

Editor: This is Kano Yasunobu's "Black Birds and Tree Chickens in Pond Amid Lotus and Water Plantain." It feels so serene, almost dreamlike. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The birds, likely moorhens, hold a potent symbolism. Water birds, especially those near lotus, often represent purity and detachment, a turning away from worldly concerns. How does the composition strike you? Editor: The birds seem to exist between worlds, like they are not exactly in the water, nor completely on land. I guess it makes me think of a transition or perhaps a moment of reflection. Curator: Precisely! Consider the lotus and plantain—symbols of summer and abundance, yet also fragility. This juxtaposition invites reflection on life's impermanence, doesn't it? It is a very thoughtful and emotional composition that stays with you.