Fireflies at night

Suzuki Shonen skillfully captured this serene landscape where the night breeze blows over the river. The lights from fireflies create a mysterious ambiance. In Japanese literature, fireflies have been a symbol of romantic longing and passion, because to attract their mates they shine brightly for a very short time before dying.
Shonen was one of the leading painters active in Kyoto during the Meiji period. Together with his father, Hyakunen, Shonen made efforts to preserve the traditional Japanese style of painting during a time when Japanese artists were becoming more influenced by Western painting. Shonen exhibited his works and won prizes at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893) and the Paris Exposition Universelle (1900).