A Pair of Quails and Poppies

Utagawa Hiroshige Japanese

Not on view

In poetry, barley quails (mugi-uzura) are traditionally associated with late spring, and poppies (keshi) in bloom with mid-summer, so a dream in autumn about this avian species is a hope for a warmer, less grim season of life.

秋の夢 見てや啼出す 麦鶉
Aki no yume
mite ya nakidasu
mugiuzura

In an autumn dream,
the barley quails
begin to chirp.
—Trans. John T. Carpenter

A Pair of Quails and Poppies, Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1797–1858 Tokyo (Edo)), Woodblock print
, Japan

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