Higoi (Red carp) 

Okumura Togyu painted this red carp, or Higoi, using traditional Japanese painting techniques. The carp, a motif common in Japanese art, often symbolizes perseverance and strength, stemming from the legend of carp swimming upstream to become dragons. Consider the cultural context: post-World War II Japan was rebuilding, and traditional arts were both preserved and re-evaluated. Togyu, who had been trained in traditional Japanese painting, sought to revitalize it by incorporating elements of Western modernism, such as simplified forms. How does this push-pull dynamic of honoring tradition and embracing modernity play out in the image? The flattened perspective and limited color palette reflect a modern sensibility. But the choice of subject, the carp, firmly places the work within a traditional Japanese symbolic framework. Understanding art requires us to examine the institutions and cultural values that shape it. By studying historical documents, artists' biographies, and critical writings, we gain insight into the complex interplay between art and society.