Hirai Baisen (1889–1969) 
Treasure Boat 
Japan, early 1920s 
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk 
Gift of Terry Welch, 2021 (2021-03-044) 

VIEW HI-RES IMAGE 
 
In Japanese folklore, it was believed the Seven Gods of Good Fortune traveled across Japan every New Year in their treasure boat (takarabune), spreading their blessings. The subject was popular in folk painting and ukiyo-e during the Edo period (1615–1868), during which all seven deities were usually shown crowded onto a boat overflowing with precious objects. 
 
Baisen offers a novel interpretation by depicting the treasure boat instead as an origami folded paper crane flying over a sea of clouds. The crane is an auspicious symbol of long life, appropriately paired here with other similar motifs including the pine that serves as its mast, the immortal islands in the background (see Gotō Kyōu’s Mount Hōrai also in this exhibition), and the sun, an especially auspicious symbol of New Year’s Day. The Seven Gods of Good Fortune are suggested by the torii arch, which marks the entrance to the sacred Shinto shrines that serve as the residences of the deities on earth.