The haritsuzaiku wooden panels, embellished with precious materials such as mother-of-pearl, bone and lacquer, are works intended for export or for direct sale to the many Westerners who began to arrive in Japan from the early twentieth century. The subjects represented are varied and give the opportunity to analyze different aspects of Japanese culture and life. Some have a floral subject, evidence of the close relationship that binds the Japanese to nature and its representations; others concern animals, both protagonists of traditional legends and symbols of humankind’s strengths and weaknesses. There is no shortage of panels that refer to historical events and even theatrical works.
