Snow Melts: A Journey Through Japanese Spring at the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE

Riga’s Art Museum RIGA BOURSE is currently hosting “Snow Melts. Japanese Art,” an exhibition exploring the profound cultural significance of spring in Japan. On view from February 21 to May 3, 2026, the exhibition features works from the Latvian National Museum of Art’s Japanese art collection, including colorful ukiyo-e woodblock prints, lacquerware, and porcelain and ceramic objects.

The Cult of Spring in Japan

While many cultures celebrate spring, Japan holds a uniquely deep reverence for the season. It’s not merely a favored time of year, but a blend of aesthetic appreciation, philosophical depth, and a symbolic new beginning. Spring represents the transition between the old and the new, a crucial point of departure for change and a symbol of renewal.

This reverence is reflected in Japan’s calendar; the academic and financial year begins in spring, and many important holidays – including Girls’ Day, Boys’ Day, and Buddha’s Birthday – are observed during this time.

Hanami: The Tradition of Cherry Blossom Viewing

Central to Japanese culture is hanami, the tradition of enjoying the transient beauty of cherry blossoms (sakura). While plums, peaches, and irises are also appreciated, sakura holds a special place. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the blossoming of sakura has historically been associated with a bountiful rice harvest for Japanese farmers.

The fleeting nature of the sakura bloom – lasting only a few days, especially in windy weather – encourages a heightened appreciation for the present moment. People gather in gardens and parks for picnics, and the media closely follows the “sakura front” as it moves across the country, spanning from late February to late May due to Japan’s geographical range.

Sakura and the Symbolism of Fading Beauty

Sakura also embodies the ephemeral nature of beauty, particularly feminine beauty. At the exhibition, a woodcut graphic depicting the high-ranking courtesan Hanadori is displayed alongside a lacquered plate with mother-of-pearl inlay featuring falling sakura blossoms. Both works symbolically represent fading beauty, evoking a sense of both allure and melancholy.

Ukiyo-e: “Pictures of the Floating World”

The exhibition showcases ukiyo-e woodblock prints, a genre that flourished during Japan’s Edo period (17th-19th centuries). These prints captured the vibrant culture of the growing urban centers, depicting geishas, courtesans, kabuki actors, and other figures from the entertainment world.

Unlike aristocratic paintings that focused on philosophical themes, ukiyo-e resonated with the common people – wealthy merchants and craftsmen – offering affordable access to art and the latest trends. The genre, like modern social networks, often presented an idealized version of reality.

The Idealized Faces in Japanese Art

Japanese art often prioritizes clothing, composition, and body language over precise facial expressions, particularly in portraits of courtesans (bijin-ga). Courtesans could be identified by how their belts were tied – in the front for those available for purchase, and in the back for polite ladies. Geishas, often mistaken for courtesans, sold their artistic and conversational skills, not their bodies.

The women depicted in these prints conformed to the beauty standards of the time. The uniformity of these images can be compared to the heavily filtered and retouched images prevalent in contemporary digital photography.

Kabuki Actors and the Samurai Connection

The exhibition also features depictions of kabuki actors, where male actors traditionally played all roles, including female ones. These actors were idols of the public, portrayed in dramatic and exaggerated poses during pivotal moments of their performances.

The imagery of flowering plants was frequently used in kabuki scenography, connecting to the fact that spring was a vacation period for samurai, providing them with leisure time for entertainment and social pursuits. Many significant events in their lives unfolded amidst the blooming sakura.

Early Japanese Travel Souvenirs

The exhibition begins with a landscape depicting a location near Edo (modern-day Tokyo) renowned for its sakura viewing. Created by Utagawa Hiroshige, one of Japan’s most influential landscape artists, this work exemplifies the rise of internal tourism in 19th-century Japan. Before the advent of photography, artists created and sold similar drawn cards as mementos for travelers.

Art for Domestic Use vs. Export

A key concept in Japanese aesthetics is the importance of empty space. Objects intended for export were often heavily ornamented, reflecting Western tastes for elaborate decoration. However, objects created for domestic use were typically more minimalist and restrained, emphasizing balance and focusing attention on essential elements – embodying the principle of “less is more.”