Kingfisher and Viburnum, early 1840s, Utagawa Hiroshige; Publisher: Kawaguchiya Shōzō, Japanese, 1797 - 1858, 13 3/8 × 4 7/16 in. ( × cm) (image, aitanzaku), Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century, Hiroshige created several prints featuring a kingfisher amid irises. Here, however, he paired the bird with hydrangeas, a flowering bush that blossoms in July and is associated with Japan's rainy season. While the Chinese have traditionally admired the kingfisher for its bright blue plummage, in Japan it is often used to symbolize vanity.

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Size: 1915px × 5544px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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