Symbolism in Japanese Art Exhibition of the Reader Collection of Japanese Flower and Bird Art

Plant

Willow

(Salix sp.)

Symbol of spring

Bird

Oriental greenfinch

(Carduelis sinica)

Symbol of spring

Artist

Mihoko Kasamatsu


	Reader Collection > Exhibitions > Symbolism in Japanese Art: plants and birds


	Introduction A symbol is something that stands for or represents something else. Perhaps the most familiar symbol is a word invented by humans to communicate an idea or refer to a particular object. Other types of symbols are included in pictures drawn by artists to communicate with the viewer in a non-verbal way. Plants and birds are often used for this purpose in Japanese art. Certain plants and birds are associated with a particular time of the year (e.g., autumn) based on their appearance or disappearance (e.g., flowering time or seasonal migration). They may also be associated with a certain human emotion (e.g., love) or trait (e.g., beauty) because of their shape, color or behaviour. Knowledge of these symbolic associations allows the viewer to understand the artist’s message. Japanese viewers acquire this knowledge as children during the educational process. Non-Japanese viewers learn about their own culture’s symbols as children and, consequently, may lack the knowledge required to fully appreciate Japanese art featuring plants and birds. To address this knowledge gap, the symbolic associations of plants and birds are explained for forty-five examples of Japanese art in this virtual exhibition. These forty-five examples were chosen from prints in the Reader Collection of Japanese Art to include the plants and birds used symbolically most often by Japanese artists. For each picture the following information is provided: the English name and scientific name of the plants(s) and bird(s) depicted, their symbolic associations and the name of the artist who drew the picture. Pictures are grouped and arranged by the species’ seasonal association (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Additional information about Japanese plant and bird symbolism is available in the following books: Baird, Merrily. 2001. Symbols of Japan. Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York. Ball, Katherine M. 1969. Decorative Motives of Oriental Art. Hacker Art Books, New York. Baten, Lea. 1989. Japanese Animal Art. Shufunotomo Co. Ltd., Tokyo Volker, T. 1975. The Animal in Far Eastern Art. E.J. Brill, Leiden.


	Plant Plum (Prunus mume) Symbol of spring, summer, longevity, elegance, happiness, purity, sweetness, prosperity Bird Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) Symbol of spring, beauty, sweetness, love, happiness Artist Jō


	Plants 1 Peach (Prunus persica) Symbol of spring, summer, meekness, virtue, marriage, health, longevity 2 Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) Symbol of spring 3 Violet (Viola sp.) Symbol of spring Bird Green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) Symbol of spring, power, love, prosperity, beauty Artist Bairei Kōno


	Plant Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) Symbol of spring, love, youth Bird Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) Symbol of spring, summer, elegance, delicacy, meekness, loyalty, fertility, prosperity, sweetness Artist Hokusai Katsushika


	Plants 1 Hall crabapple (Malus halliana) Symbol of spring 2 Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica) Symbol of spring Bird Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) Symbol of spring, beauty Artist Bairei Kōno


Plant Cherry (Prunus sp.) Symbol of spring, summer, beauty, delicacy, loyalty prosperity, ephemerality	Bird Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) Symbol of spring	Artist Bunrei Maekawa


	Plants 1 Chinese milk-vetch (Astragalus sinicus) Symbol of spring 2 Dandelion (Taraxacum sp.) Symbol of spring Bird Skylark (Alauda arvensis) Symbol of spring Artist Seisai Itō


	Plant Chinese quince (Chaenomeles speciosa or Chaenomeles laganaria) Symbol of spring Bird Meadow bunting (Emberiza cioides) Symbol of spring Artist Shundei Nakamura


	Plant Weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa) Symbol of spring Bird Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) Symbol of spring Artist Shizuo Ashikaga


	Plant Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Symbol of summer, purity, immortality Bird Little egret (Egretta garzetta) Symbol of purity, longevity, delicacy, mount of the gods Artist Rinsai Shiba


	Plants 1 Japanese iris (Iris ensata) Symbol of summer, power, boldness, loyalty, courage, victory, eloquence 2 water-lily (Nuphar japonicum) Symbol of summer Bird Lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) Symbol of summer, rice-planting time, unrequited love, past emotions, sadness Publisher Katsugorō Inoue

Plant

Princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Symbol of summer, kindness, power

Bird

Mythical Hō-ō bird

Symbol of longevity, power, wisdom,

delicacy, happiness, five virtues of

obedience, purity, loyalty, justice and

kindness, mount and messenger of

immortals

Artist

Ōkyo Maruyama


	Plant Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) Symbol of summer Bird Siberian blue robin (Luscinia cyane) Symbol of summer Artist Keinen Imao


Plant Japanese rose (Rosa multiflora) Symbol of summer	Bird Water rail (Rallus aquaticus) Symbol of summer	Artist Kashū Numata


	Plants 1 Showy Japanese lily (Lilium speciosum) Symbol of summer 2 Morning-star lily (Lilium concolor) Symbol of summer 3 China rose (Rosa chinensis) Symbol of summer Bird Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) Symbol of summer, winter Artist Bairei Kōno


	Plant Common garden peony (Paeonia lactiflora) Symbol of summer Bird Great tit (Parus major) Symbol of summer Artist Yoshiharu Utagawa


	Plant China rose (Rosa chinensis) Symbol of summer Bird Blue-and-white flycatcher (Cyanoptila cynaomelana) Symbol of summer Artist Hiroshige Utagawa


	Plant Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) Symbol of summer Bird Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) Symbol of summer Artist Bairei Kōno


	Plant Bigleaf hydrangea(Hydrangea macrophylla) Symbol of summer Bird Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) Symbol of summer Artist Hiroshige Utagawa


Plant Japanese bindweed (Calystegia japonica) Symbol of summer	Bird Dove (Columba livia) Symbol of loyalty, fertility, messenger of the peace god	Artist Kōgyo Tsukioka

Symbolism: spring-summer autumn-winter or Back to Exhibitions