Eight Drinking Hermits

Transcription

1 Eight Drinking Hermits The title of this painting was taken from the poem "Eight Drinking Hermits" by Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. Eight Drinking Hermits is a motif commonly used by Japanese artists. This painting of four hermits was originally one of a pair of screens; each depicting four hermits. According to the inscription, the screen was completed on 3 October 1602, at the request of Lord Kamei Shigenori of Shikano, Inaba Province (today's Tottori Prefecture). It is one of the few representative masterpieces of Kano Yusho ( ). by Kaiho Yusho Six-fold screen Ink on paper x cm Momoyama Period (Dated 1602) AK 263

2 Anthology with Crane Design This famous anthology combines some of the finest calligraphy of Hon'ami Koetsu with the brilliant painting of Tawaraya Sotatsu (active from 1602 to 1635). The central design motif is of cranes, painted in gold and silver. Alone and in flocks, at rest and in flight, these cranes fill the entire length of the scroll. The brush-strokes are simple but the shape of the cranes is elegant. The superb handling of the limited design motif used in this anthology reveals the cuttingedge originality of Tawaraya Sotatsu. by Tawaraya Sotatsu Calligraphy by Hon'ami Koetsu Handscroll Ink and color on paper 34.0 X cm Edo Period (17th Century) AK 364

3 Water Fowl in the Lotus Pond While this subject has several Chinese precedents in Sung and Yuan, colored paintings, Sotatsu painted these two grebes and two lotus flowers using only black ink, which gives the work a clean, simple feeling. Still, the artist exquisitely expresses the contrast between the blooming, white lotus and its ripening fruit. Contrast is also created between the two birds, one of which swims ahead with a half-open, upturned bill as if in search of new bait, while the other quietly floats on. Although this painting has no signature -- only a red "Inen" seal in the lower-left corner -- it represents the technical perfection of Sotatsu's ink painting. by Tawaraya Sotatsu Hanging scroll Ink on paper X 0.0 cm Edo Period (Early-17th Century) National Treasure AK 261

4 Bamboo and Tiger The flowers-and-birds paintings and flowering plants paintings of Ogata Korin often display a standard or formal approach, but there also exist many examples of his work that show his humorous friendliness. Two examples are Yuima-zu (Vimalakirti) and this work. A tiger sits cozily in front of a bamboo grove, glancing off to one side, like a mischievous boy. Kano Sanraku used similar motifs in his work Dragon and Tiger, but unlike Sanraku's Chinese-influenced confrontation between two strong powers, Korin's tiger is almost comical. This style has been called giga, or "cartoon style." If this were one of a pair, the counterpart dragon would certainly have been depicted with the same cute and humorous touch. The ability to paint this type of cartoon-like scene shows the freedom-of-thought of Ogata Korin. by Ogata Korin Hanging scroll, ink on paper Proportions: 28.3 x 39.0 cm Edo Period (18th Century) AK 539

5 Wind God and Thunder God Screens Hasegawa Tohaku ( ) was a prolific artist who rivaled the Kano school artists in the Momoyama Period. Tohaku was from originally the Nanao region of the Noto Peninsula. After he moved to Kyoto, he was supported by Honpo-ji Temple. Soon after, he became a favorite of the great Tea master Sen-no-Rikyu and was frequently able to visit Daitoku-ji Temple. This painting clearly shows the direct influence of the painting Monkeys by Mu Qi (National Treasure), a valuable secular painting brought from China to Daitoku-ji Temple. This work was originally painted as a standing screen, but was later remounted as hanging scrolls. This pair of scrolls contains four of the original screen panals. They are said to have formerly been owned by Maeda Toshinaga, the feudal lord of Komatsu in the Province of Kaga (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). by Hasagewa Tohaku Two hanging scrolls, ink on paper Proportions: x cm (each) Momoyama Period (16th Century) (Ryusen-an Temple, Kyoto)