Description: ōban tate-e; nishiki-e; meisho-e
Label Text: Hiroshige’s meisho-e, or “famous views,” of Edo, are among the best known images in the history of Japanese art. This series not only features various sites of the capital but as it progresses, it also encapsulates a full year in the metropolois. This design, number 48 of 100, takes place on Boys’ Day (now known as Children’s Day), May 5, a fact made clear by the presence of the koinobori, the carp-shaped flags, which appear to “swim” as they flap in the breeze and are still used today. Due to their swimming upstream, carp are symbols of strength and perseverence and so became associated with the health and vitality of young boys. Traditionally, families would fly them in different colors, with black representing the father, red for the mother, and one blue carp for each masculine child. - BB, ed., 2015
Tags: fish; fishing; environment; text; calligraphy Link to share this object record: https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+1998.38 |