Cranes Beneath Gnarled Pines
MediumPaper, silk, paint
ClassificationsVisual Works
Credit LineGift of Mrs. R.H. Holcomb
Object number1970.18.9
DescriptionPainted on tan silk. Cliffs with vegetation across top and down left side in green. Two gnarled pine trees with green dots going up sides. River with cranes flying over, cranes standing in lower right. Inscription in upper right. Mounted with white silk damask. Wood handles.This image has what is most likely a poem in the upper left hand corner. The cranes symbolize immortality and are considered the prince of all birds behind the Chinese phoenix (Fenghuang). Cranes in flight often represent the path of the soul to transcendence and are a major aspect of Daoist iconography. Pines are also a symbol of long life as well as a connection to nature, reinforcing the Daoist themes.
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Late 18th Century
Japan
![[FAMILY SCENE]](/internal/media/dispatcher/17824/thumbnail)
Japan
Japan