Fan with important Japanese symbols

The front side of the screen shows three symbols important for Japan – read from the right to left: the right picture shows a mandarin duck against a background of blooming sakura – these are symbols of nature. The central picture shows the Shogun, the main ruler of Japan in the Edo period, with his children. This image is a symbol of the strength of the power of the supreme ruler. On the left picture we see actors acting out a theatrical scene, one of them wearing a fox-werewolf mask. This image symbolizes the importance of of art in Japanese life. On the back side of the screen there are also three scenes with similar symbols: in the right picture we see an image of three cranes against a background of pine trees, this image represents nature: both the pine tree and the crane are favorite symbols for traditional art. In the central picture we see the image of a solemn procession, in a closed palanquin carrying a high-ranking person, perhaps it is the Shogun – the supreme ruler, this image can be interpreted as a symbol of the central power of Japan. In the picture on the left, two actors are playing a performance in a theater. Theater culture has been and still is very important in the Japanese life.

On one guard stick there is a carved image of a fishing net and a flying bird holding food in its beak, probably it has eaten the remains of the catch. On the second guard stick there is a different subject: two birds flying towards the fishing net. The authors signature is on the left.