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 (1533-1615).
by Kaiho Yusho
Six-fold screen
Ink on paper
148.0 x 358.0 cm
Momoyama Period (Dated 1602)
Important Cultural Property
AK 263
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 1356.0 cm
Edo Period (17th Century)
Important Cultural Property
AK 364
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
116.0 X 0.0 cm
Edo Period (Early-17th Century)
National Treasure
AK 261
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
Wind God and Thunder God Screens
Hasegawa Tohaku (1539-1610)
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: 155.0 x 115.0 cm (each)
Momoyama Period (16th Century)
Important Cultural Property
(Ryusen-an Temple, Kyoto)