Multitudes of Cranes
spring 1863
Bokushin Japanese, active 19th century
Japan
This is a striking image of a rising sun and 50 cranes flying in formation above a cloud bank. These symbols of long life were used here to honor the 50th birthday of the poet Baigyo. Called chimei, a 50th birthday was seen as a big stepping-stone in life and a halfway point to the idealized old age of 100.
The artist Bokushin is not well known today, indicating the great number of artists available to surimono publishers at this time. He may have been a poet who excelled in the visual arts. It is also possible that the design was copied from a work with a similar design by another artist.
Color woodblock print; surimono