Books and Spring Flowers

The meaning of this composition is not entirely clear. On one level it is a pleasant still-life showing a low, black lacquered writing desk, a stack of books, a spray of flowering white camellia and pink plum tied together with a string. Perhaps it suggests a man or woman preparing to write a love letter, to which the flowering branches will be attached-an elegant custom that originated in aristocratic circles. It may also be a visual rebus, with each item providing a clue to some hidden meaning. Such puzzles were popular during the Edo period (1603-1867), and were admired for their subtly and playfulness.