Egrets in Snow, mid 19th century, Tsubaki Chinzan, Japanese, 1801 - 1854, 47 7/8 ¡Ñ 19 5/8 in. (121.6 ¡Ñ 49.85 cm) (image)72 1/4 ¡Ñ 25 1/16 in. (183.52 ¡Ñ 63.66 cm) (without roller), Ink and color on silk, Japan, 19th century, In Japanese art, herons/egrets are often depicted in pairs, amid willow trees and reeds. In this lyrical scene, the birds¡¦ bright plumage, crisply delineated in opaque white pigment, stands out against the gloomy ink wash of the background. Withering foliage appears to bow beneath the weight of settling snow, cleverly suggested by unpainted space.