Grey mullet and camellia 

This image of a grey mullet and camellia was created by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1830-40, made with woodblock printing. The fish, rendered with meticulous detail, is juxtaposed with the camellia, a flower symbolizing fleeting beauty and noble death in Japanese culture. The pairing of a fish and flower brings to mind a complex interplay of life and death. The fish, a symbol of abundance and vitality, lies alongside the camellia, whose blossoms fall in their entirety, representing a poignant end. This mirrors the vanitas traditions seen in European art, where symbols of worldly pleasures are combined with reminders of mortality. The fish, when seen through the lens of our collective memory, echoes the ancient symbol of Pisces, carrying connotations of fertility and renewal. How might these symbols work together to express subconscious desires? The image resonates with a deep, psychological understanding of life's impermanence, a powerful reminder of the cyclical nature of existence.