Delaying the announcement of dawn c. 1767 - 1768

This color woodblock print, created by Suzuki Harunobu, features two women with a rooster, playfully titled 'Delaying the Announcement of Dawn.' Here, the rooster is more than a mere barnyard fowl; it symbolizes the coming of light, a daily rebirth. Note how one of the women teases it with a saucer of sake, as if to keep it from crowing and ushering in the day. This motif of delaying the dawn can be traced back through centuries of art and folklore. Think of the Greek myth of Helios and his chariot, a symbol of the sun’s daily journey. The act of offering sake becomes a ritualistic attempt to control time itself. Such an intimate scene touches on our collective, perhaps subconscious, desire to hold onto fleeting moments. It's a timeless dance between light and darkness, hope and resignation, echoing through the corridors of art history. The rooster, therefore, is not just a bird, but a potent symbol that resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings across time.