(Cock and hen) 1901

Kubota Beisen made this ink and color on paper woodblock print of a cock and hen. It is a fine example of the ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” prints that captured the mood of Japan’s Meiji period. Look closely and you will see that it’s more than just an image of barnyard fowl. The rooster and hen symbolize prosperity and domestic tranquility, reflecting a longing for social stability during a time of rapid modernization. Japanese printmaking had a long history, but in this era it faced new competition from photography, as well as Western-style painting. Artists like Beisen blended traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. The inscription, which we can learn to read with specialist help, tells us more about the print’s moment. To fully understand its role, we can turn to historical archives and scholarly research, to reveal the complex interplay between art and society.