Mandarin Ducks and Flowering Plants c. early to mid 1830s

This woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige features Mandarin ducks and flowering plants, symbols laden with meaning in Japanese culture. These ducks, always depicted in pairs, represent marital fidelity and love, while the flowering plants add a layer of auspicious beauty, suggesting prosperity and longevity. The pairing of Mandarin ducks can be traced back through centuries of art across Asia, often appearing in wedding gifts or to celebrate anniversaries. Here, Hiroshige captures them in a moment of serene intimacy, evoking a sense of emotional harmony and a deep connection to primal, life-affirming forces. Consider how similar motifs of paired animals are used across different cultures to convey love and commitment; think of doves in the West, symbols of peace but also of devotion. In art, these representations are not mere decorations, but rather potent conveyors of collective desires and memories, expressing profound truths about human connection, love, and fidelity, echoing through time and constantly renewed.