The Bird in the Pomegranate Tree

On a gnarled branch, surrounded by ripe, slightly split pomegranate fruits and autumn-colored foliage, a black-feathered bird with a yellow eye area sits attentively. The composition leads the eye from the hanging fruits in the upper part of the image, past the bird, down to the branching twigs at the lower edge.

In East Asian symbolism, the pomegranate is traditionally regarded as a sign of fertility, prosperity, and numerous offspring, while birds often stand for freedom and a watchful, happy life. The combination of both motifs lends this nature study a friendly, positive mood, characteristic of classical bird-and-flower painting.

This work is a Makuri, meaning the unmounted picture panel of a hanging scroll without textile mounting, painted by hand on paper in the Shôwa period. The fine, colored execution of the plumage and fruit flesh testifies to the practiced hand of a painter specializing in nature studies and makes this unique work an appealing eye-catcher.