Coast of Japan 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "Coast of Japan," a watercolor work. I’m immediately drawn to the figures in the boat; there is a sense of human connection to the sea. What symbolic meanings do you find here? Curator: The boat, often a vessel of passage, becomes a potent symbol. Consider the cultural memory of the sea in Japanese art and folklore: is it a source of bounty, or a realm of unpredictable forces? Editor: So, the symbolism relates directly to the culture in the image? Curator: Precisely. The image evokes both a romantic vision and a pragmatic engagement with nature. The figures wading seem to straddle the line between these concepts. Editor: I hadn't considered the duality present here. Thanks for illuminating that! Curator: My pleasure. It's often the overlooked symbols that speak volumes.