Stilleven van tonijn, karper en inktvis c. 1890 - 1900

This woodblock print by Setsuri depicts a still life featuring a tuna, carp, and octopus. The prominence of sea creatures, common in Japanese art, carries symbolic weight, deeply rooted in the island nation’s dependence on the ocean. Consider the octopus, a motif that has journeyed across cultures and centuries. In ancient Greece, the octopus appeared in Minoan pottery, often symbolizing the chaotic power of the sea. But here, in this print, it has been tamed, presented as a foodstuff. This transformation mirrors a broader psychoanalytic phenomenon – the subconscious attempt to control primal fears by integrating them into the everyday. These aquatic symbols speak to a cyclical progression of cultural adaptation. What was once a symbol of untamed nature has been recontextualized, revealing the layers of meaning that accrue over time.