Ono no Tofu and the Frog c. 1737 - 1776

Editor: Here we have Torii Kiyohiro's "Ono no Tofu and the Frog." I’m immediately drawn to the woman’s patterned kimono and how it contrasts with the serene, almost melancholic, feel of the waterside. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s a delicious visual poem, isn't it? The quiet scene, almost frozen in time, speaks volumes about perseverance. Ono no Tofu, a calligrapher, was about to give up until he saw a frog tirelessly trying to leap onto a willow branch. Did he not succeed on the 100th attempt? Editor: I see... a lesson in persistence! So, the frog isn't just a random detail? Curator: Precisely! It's a tiny mirror reflecting a much larger idea. Think of how many times we, like that frog, try and fail before finally, maybe, succeeding. Editor: That’s a cool way of thinking about the painting. I'll remember that. Curator: Art, like life, is a series of leaps, big and small, isn't it?