Discussion

This week's demonstration painting combines two subjects in a single composition. The Japanese name of that combination is hakuroku chōshun, and it features white deer and perpetual rose, representing everlasting life. 

Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

Takemikazuchi no Mikoto

Japanese folklore says that when Japan's capitol was moved to Nara in 710 AD, Takemikazuchi no Mikoto--the Shintō God of thunder, swords, and martial arts--came to protect the new capitol. He rode in on a white deer.

Ever since then, white sika deer are thought of as sacred messengers of the Gods. White sika deer really do exist but are rare. They are probably albinos. The sight of one is considered to be a good luck omen.

Nara Deer Park

To this day, sika deer in and around Nara, though rarely white, are considered sacred. They are protected national treasures. Killing one was once a capital crime. They can be seen in many places in and around the city.

The largest concentration of sika deer in Nara are at Nara Park, home to numerous famous temples and shrines, including Daibutsu-den (Great Buddha Hall) at Todaiji Temple, the world's largest wooden building. 

t houses Daibutsu, a gigantic bronze statue of Buddha.

As impressive as these historic sites are, Nara Park is possibly even more famous for the presence of over a thousand sika deer. Though not tame, they are used to the presence of people and mingle with them freely. If caution is exercised, some will tolerate being petted. One can buy deer crackers to feed them with.

If left alone, they are quite capable to taking care of themselves. 

Though not so easily seen, these sika deer still have spots.

Sika deer sometimes gather together in large numbers at certain times of day. This happens most often during autumn and winter. This is a natural behavior for sika deer that has been going on for thousands of years.

Perpetual Rose

There are many rose species with the common name, perpetual rose. I am not aware of the specific species of rose that was originally meant by the name, so I've taken the liberty of choosing to use something resembling the original roses before human cultivation began; wild roses; white to match the white deer in my painting.

These roses are characterized by 5-petal blossoms.

Rose leaves can be seen in the photo above, but here is a closer look.

These leaves have a pair of opposing leaves in a cluster of three, but most species have seven or more. Roses are famous for their thorny stems. Rose fruits called hips.

Seeds are inside.

Artwork

Tawaraya Sōtatsu (1576 - 1643)

Hon'ami Kōetsu (1558 - 1637)

One of Japan's greatest art treasures is a deer scroll created by the team of Sōtatsu and Kōetsu. Sōtatsu was a painter and Kōetsu a calligrapher. They collaborated on several works. Sōtatsu in particular is regarded as one of the founders of the Rinpa school of art. The deer scroll depicts frolicking deer that form the background for a classic anthology of waka Japanese poetry, written in a fluid "scattered writing" calligraphy style. Created in the 1610s, here is a short segment of the scroll.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 1858)

Hiroshige is best known for his landscapes, but he painted many other subjects, too. Among them are kachō-ga (pictures of birds and flowers). His Roses and Blue Bird was created sometime after 1832.

Ohara Koson (1877 – 1945)

Koson was a prominent member of the shin-hanga (new prints) movement to restore traditional subjects, techniques, and values to Japanese print art. He specialized in kachō-ga. His Deer, Stone Lantern, and Torii print was produced in 1900.

Here is another print by Koson. Two Deer, Pine, and Moon was produced in 1910.

Tanigami Kōnan (1879 – 1928)

Kōnan is mostly remembered as the author of five volumes of picture albums depicting Western plants. His Roses print was produced sometime in the 1910s.