Wandering in Pictures · 24 of 24

Mandarin Ducks in the Snow

Snow drips from willow branches over a quiet pool, where two mandarin ducks keep company.

Painting · Itō Jakuchū, 1759

A hanging scroll painting of snow-laden willow branches above a pool, with a mandarin drake on a snowy rock among red camellias and a second duck in the water.
Itō Jakuchū · Public domain

Let your eyes wander

  1. Begin with the bright mandarin drake standing on the snowy rock.
  2. Red camellias bloom in the snow just below his feet.
  3. Down in the pool, a second duck has dipped its head beneath the water.
  4. Up on the branch, a dove with a soft blue head looks out to the left.
  5. Further along, a small orange and black bird perches on the snow.
  6. In the top right corner, a little bird with a red throat sits alone.
  7. Look at how the snow hangs from the willow branches in long, slow drips.
  8. Tiny white flakes are still falling all across the picture.

There is no last thing to find. Look again wherever your eyes would like to rest, or close them and keep the picture.

Keep going

Nothing here needs finishing. Every door leads somewhere, and the last one is always darker than this.

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Something quieter

Almost nothingDrift ModeOne step closer to sleep