# Birds and Flowers

- By: Kano Mitsunobu (Japanese, 1565–1608)
- By: Kano Shōei (Japanese, 1519–1592)
- Date: late 1500s
- Medium: Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper
- Classification: Painting
- Dimensions: Image: 155.5 x 340 cm (61 1/4 x 133 7/8 in.)
- Culture: Japan, Momoyama period (1573–1615)
- Credit line: Gift of William G. Mather
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1948.128)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1948.128/1948.128_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The landscape depicted in this pair of screens follows a seasonal progression from right to left, starting with the blossoming plum of early spring and ending with late autumn peonies. A variety of smaller birds are positioned throughout the scene, and a trio of swimming ducks is bracketed by early summer irises and early autumn bellflowers at the center. While some raptors (birds of prey) terrorize a pheasant and an egret (a waterfowl) to the right, a peacock and peahen converse to the left. Hawks are associated with military prowess, while the peafowl suggest cultural prestige.