Unknown, child and butterfly

A child and a butterfly share the composition in this print, the small figure and the equally delicate insect brought together in an image of childhood's fleeting wonder. Butterflies in Japanese art symbolize transformation and the soul, and their pairing with a child figure creates a meditation on the double transience of both — neither the butterfly nor childhood enduring for long. Kawano's bold graphic approach gives both subjects clear presence without diminishing the delicacy of the encounter.