Monkey Watching Cherry Blossoms Fall, 19th Century

Sakura ni tsunagizaru. Monkey on a leash and cherry blossoms. Print shows a monkey sitting on a post with cherry blossoms falling around it. A cherry blossom (commonly known in Japan as sakura) is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese cherry, Prunus serrulata. In Japan, cherry blossoms symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhist influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware. The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the exquisite beauty and volatility, has often been associated with mortality and graceful and readily acceptance of destiny and karma; for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film. Along with the chrysanthemum, the cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan. Monkeys are a historically prominent feature in the religion, folklore, and art of Japan, as well as in Japanese proverbs and idiomatic expressions. Utagawa Hiroshige, circa 1830-58

Picture No

12698840

Media ID

47672834

Size

2496px x 5400px (4.7MB)

Credit

LOC/Science Source/Mary Evans