Prentenboek over bloemen en vogels door Keinen - zomerdeel 1881

Imao Keinen created this book about flowers and birds, now at the Rijksmuseum, and the cover teems with symbols rooted deeply in cultural memory. The title, rendered in elegant calligraphy, speaks of cataloging the appearances of flowers and birds through the seasons. But in Japan, and indeed across many cultures, flowers and birds are far more than mere natural objects. They are potent symbols, resonating with layers of meaning. Birds often represent freedom, joy, or serve as messengers, while flowers embody beauty, transience, and renewal. Consider how the depiction of a crane, often paired with the pine tree, becomes an emblem of longevity. Or how the cherry blossom, so beloved in Japan, signifies the fleeting nature of life. These motifs echo through centuries of art. The psychological weight of these symbols is considerable, tapping into universal human experiences and aspirations. Symbols like these never truly disappear; they resurface, evolve, and are continually reinterpreted, linking us to the past in an unending cycle of cultural memory.