Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 3: Mountain Dove and Peach Flowers 1810 - 1830

This is Mountain Dove and Peach Flowers, a woodblock print made by Teisai Hokuba in Japan, sometime before 1844. Hokuba's elegant rendering of nature is typical of the ukiyo-e school of art, which flourished during the Edo period. Ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," originally depicted the hedonistic lifestyles of urban dwellers, especially courtesans and Kabuki actors. However, artists like Hokuba broadened the scope of ukiyo-e to include landscapes and bird-and-flower studies. These prints were not merely decorative, they also reflected the growing interest in natural science and the rise of a merchant class with money to spend on art. The serene image of a dove perched on a blossoming branch exemplifies the Edo period's complex relationship with the natural world, which was both admired and exploited. Art historians consult a variety of sources—illustrated books, poetry, and economic records—to understand the cultural significance of works such as this. Ultimately, the meaning of art is always tied to its historical context.