Mandarin Ducks and Flowering Plants
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858)
early or mid-1830s
Medium
color woodblock print
Dimensions
38.2 × 17.1 cm
Classification
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith
Accession Number
1985.314
Tags
male
About this artwork
In Asian painting, ducks are usually shown in pairs because a male and female mate for life. They symbolize fidelity and tranquility. The presence of another duck is suggested here by the gesture of the bird's head. Notice the variety of brushstrokes and ink tones used to depict the duck's plumage. The bird and flower genre is a popular theme in the paintings and prints of the Kelvin Smith Collection. Kachoga, or bird and flower pictures, became popular among collectors in Japan during the 19th ...