1834
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Mandarin Ducks and Flowering Plants is a 1834 by Utagawa Hiroshige, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a single mandarin duck standing on one leg among water plants and pink flowers. In Japanese art, ducks often come in pairs—they mate for life. Here, the duck’s turned head hints at its missing partner. The feathers are painted with quick, varied brushstrokes, some dark, some light, giving the bird texture and life. This kind of picture, called *kachōga*, was a favorite in Edo-period Japan, especially for collectors. To see more like this, look up *japan, edo period (1615–1868)*.
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 century, due in large part to Hiroshige. Although better known for his landscape prints, Hiroshige…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重) or Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重), born Andō Tokutarō (安藤 徳太郎; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
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