Unknown Maker, Japanese

Herons, shown standing in stylized water, were introduced into the Japanese design repertory during the Muromachi period (1338-1573), along with other birds that were at first considered novelties, such as cormorants, swallows, and sparrows.

The stylized linear composition of the water illustrates the traditional Japanese treatment of rivers and ponds, as well as the popular motif of a sandbar. Originally, water imagery was included to convey its power to refresh and enrich.