God of Wind caught by a hawk [left of the pair Gods of Wind and Thunder] c. mid 19th century

Satake Eikai painted "God of Wind caught by a hawk" with ink and color on silk. Here, the wind god, typically a symbol of chaos and untamed natural forces, finds himself captured, his flowing robes and wind bag clutched in the talons of a hawk. This scene echoes the ancient motif of the triumphant animal, a symbol of primal power seen across cultures, from the eagle of Rome to the dragons of the East. The hawk, in many traditions, embodies keen perception and control. Consider, though, how the depiction of the wind god has evolved. In earlier forms, he was a purely destructive force, a whirlwind of divine anger. Yet here, he is vulnerable, almost pitiable, suggesting a shift in our understanding of nature's power. The image stirs a powerful psychological tension: the wild, untamed force subdued. This dynamic reflects our ongoing struggle to reconcile humanity's place within the natural world. The cyclical nature of power is emphasized by the hawk’s dominance. An eternal return of dominance, a cycle of nature and power.