White Lotuses,

ca. late 14th century

Fish and crabs swim around flowering lotuses growing out of a pond. Water—in the form of ponds, lakes, and ocean—and the marine animals within it have always been an integral part of daily life in Japan. The combination of lotus flowers and crabs was a common trope first developed in China during the Song dynasty (960–1279). In Japan, the lotus was often associated with summer, as the flowers bloom in July and August. Here, the painter used the boneless (mokkotsu) technique on the stems, aquatic plants, and rocks in the pond, depicting them without strong outlines, a style that contrasts with the thin, delicate lines of the lotus flowers and leaves.