Sparrows in a Plum Tree 1796 - 1799

Nagasawa Rosetsu painted *Sparrows in a Plum Tree* with ink and color on silk, an intimate snapshot of nature. Here, sparrows and plum blossoms intertwine. The plum, harbinger of spring, symbolizes perseverance and renewal, while the sparrows, often seen in flocks, may represent community or the common people. Consider how the plum blossom motif has fluttered through art history, from ancient Chinese paintings to European still lifes, each time carrying a breath of new life and hope. The sparrow, too, flits across cultures. In some, it is an omen of good luck; in others, a symbol of insignificance. These feathered creatures engage in a silent dialogue, a reminder of the cyclical nature of existence. We see how symbols, like migratory birds, traverse time and space, each encounter colored by the unique hue of human experience. It is a vibrant, fleeting moment that captures the essence of life's impermanence.