Young Man with Symbols of the First Dream of the New Year c. 1782

This is Torii Kiyonaga’s ‘Young Man with Symbols of the First Dream of the New Year’ at the Art Institute of Chicago. Note how Kiyonaga uses a vertical, elongated format. This affects how we read the image. Our eyes travel upwards from the figure of the young man and his falcon towards the distant Mount Fuji. Notice also the graphic use of line and shape. The clean lines of the man’s clothing contrast with the intricate patterns of the falcon. In terms of semiotics, the falcon and Mount Fuji are not merely visual elements. They are cultural codes symbolizing power, good fortune and high aspirations. Kiyonaga destabilizes traditional hierarchies of representation, as the young man seems to occupy a space between the earthly and the sublime. The work functions as more than just a representation; it actively engages with the viewer to create meaning.