3.1  Names

     Names of 251 flowers and 202 birds depicted in the sample of prints considered here are given in latin (i.e., scientific name), English and Japanese in section 3.3 for flowers and in section 3.4 for birds.

     Scientific names are given first because there is no English name for some far-eastern species. Species are arranged alphabetically by family, and by genus within family, to group similar-looking species. In some cases the species name is given as only sp. because the pictures did not provide sufficient detail to distinguish between species within a particular genus.  

     An English name is given second. For species with more than one commonly used English name, one name was chosen arbitrarily from those listed in the GRIN database (https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx) for plants and from the AVIBASE database (http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/avibase.jsp?lang=EN&pg=home) for birds. These databases should be consulted for alternative names.

     Japanese names are given next in four ways; first, using the roman alphabet (i.e., rōmaji), second using Japanese katakana syllabary, third using Japanese hiragana syllabary, and fourth using Japanese-Chinese ideograms (i.e., kanji). Artists used kanji most often for names but either katakana or hiragana was used instead when no kanji ideogram existed (e.g., for some exotic species) or when the artist did not know the kanji name. Katakana or hiragana was sometimes given alongside kanji as a pronunciation aid for picture viewers unfamiliar with a flower or bird’s kanji name. Rōmaji never appeared on pictures but it is given here to help western viewers pronounce the Japanese name. Rōmaji is a direct translation of katakana/ hiragana. While most species have only one katakana/hiragana name, many have more than one kanji name.

    A sample picture of each species is given alongside its names as an aid to identification. For species appearing frequently in the set of pictures examined it was possible to choose a picture which showed the species’ shape and color accurately enough for it to be easily recognized. For other species appearing less frequently it was often necessary to choose a picture of poorer quality for the purpose of species identification.

3.2  Artist’s Choice of Species

     Flower-bird pictures are typically used to help communicate emotion and to describe species. Presumably an artist chose a certain species either because, in Japanese culture, it was associated with the emotion (s)he wished to communicate to picture viewers or because (s)he wanted to inform picture viewers about that particular species.

     Of the 251 flowers and 202 birds considered here, 129 flowers (51%) and 86 birds (42%) are used by the Japanese as symbols of different human feelings, characteristics or seasons of the year. These symbolic associations are listed in the species’ descriptions in sections 3.3 (flowers) and 3.4 (birds).

     Artists may have chosen to draw a particular species because it had economic value as a source of food, medicine, or entertainment (e.g., pet bird, ornamental plant). Of the species considered here, 195 flowers (77%) and 56 birds (28%) had economic value. These species are identified in sections 3.3 and 3.4.

     Species not native to Japan (i.e., exotics) may also have been chosen for depiction because they would be unfamiliar to most picture viewers and, therefore, of interest as a curiosity. Of the species considered here, 106 flowers (42%) and 80 birds (40%) were exotics. The geographic origin of each species is included in the species’ descriptions in sections 3.3 and 3.4.

     Some species were more popular than others with artists. The number of times a particular species was chosen is also given in the species’ descriptions in sections 3.3 and 3.4.

Section 3.3 of Chapter 3 or Back to Guides