Japanese Landscape Paintings

Detailed traditional Japanese paintings featuring serene landscapes, introducing elements like Mt. Fuji, egrets, and natural themes with soft ink washes.

Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers right of a pair, 1807, Kushiro Unzen, Japanese, 1759 - 1811, 51 3/4 × 129 1/4 in. (131.45 × 328.3 cm) (image)59 5/8 × 134 5/8 × 1/2 in. (151.45 × 341.95 × 1.27 cm) (outer frame), Ink and light color on paper, Japan, 19th century

Mt. Fuji through Pines, late 1700s-early 1800s. Kubo Shunman (Japanese, 1757-1820). Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk; painting only: 90 x 30.8 cm (35 7/16 x 12 1/8 in.); including mounting: 183.5 x 49.5 cm (72 1/4 x 19 1/2 in.). Kubo Shunman dashed off this loose image of Mt. Fuji viewed in the distance from behind pine trees as a performance painting, or sekiga. He did it on the spot in the company of members of his poetry club. Six of them, including the club's founder Yadoya no Meshimori (Rokujuen, 1753-1830), added kyoka poems, 31-syllable poems like the classical Japanese waka poem in form, but with a heavy emphasis on humor. Shunman jotted down a poem as well, in the bottom right corner of the painting, before signing and sealing it. Each poem takes the painted image as its point of departure.

Egrets in Plum right of the pair Egrets in Plum and Willow, second half 16th century, Sesson Shūkei, Japanese, 1504 - 1589, 69 1/4 x 24 in. (175.9 x 60.96 cm) (each fold), Ink on paper, Japan, 16th century, Born in remote eastern Japan, far from the cultural center of Kyoto, Sesson Shūkei taught himself to paint by studying the brush styles of earlier Chinese and Japanese masters, whose works were held in many old collections in the region. These screens reveal his keen interest in the Chinese Zen painter-monk Muqi (c. 1210-after 1269). Of the dozens of extant paintings by Sesson, a Zen priest himself, none so clearly attests to his admiration for Muqi as this misty, moonlit scene of herons cavorting around a gnarled old plum tree and willow. Using the so-called 'boneless' technique for which Muqi was famous, Sesson avoided contour lines, relying instead on soft washes of ink. He also borrowed several motifs directly from paintings by Muqi. Indeed, this pair of screens is as much a vis

The Four Seasons, 1668. Kano Tanyū (Japanese, 1602-1674). Six-panel folding screen, ink and slight color on paper; image: 174 x 381 cm (68 1/2 x 150 in.). Tan'y?'s skills were honed early within the regimen of the Kano family's painting studio. His grandfather, Eitoku (1543-1590) was the Momoyama period's most sought-after painter, a champion of colorful, large-scale painting compositions who worked for several of the country's most powerful leaders. When the young Tan'y? was summoned to Edo in 1617 by the shogun to become a member of the new capital's official painting studio, few opportunities to work on similarly ambitious projects existed. Yet by the end of his career, Tan'y? had supervised the execution and installation of linked mural painting compositions in several of Japan's most prestigious residences and castles. As an official court painter to the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (reigned 1603-5), and then his successors, Tan'y? appears to have successfully juggled his offic

Enjoying the Sun Beneath Pine Trees, 13th-14th century, Attributed to Ma Yuan, active c. 1195 - 1264, 42 5/16 x 21 9/16 in. (107.47 x 54.77 cm) (image)77 1/8 x 28 in. (195.9 x 71.12 cm) (overall, without roller), Ink and color on silk, China, 13th-14th century, Ma Lin, named in the red seal, was the son of the great academy artist Ma Yuan. Characterized by firm, expert brushwork, the composition and stylistic features of this painting place it clearly within the classical tradition of court painting that flourished in Hangzhou from the 1100s to the early 1400s. The Daoist theme of a lone scholar viewing the sunrise is standard Southern Song subject matter. He reclines on a riverbank with bronze ritual implements arranged in front of him, probably in preparation for ritual incense burning. The Daoist philosophy, with its emphasis on nature, was fundamental to the early development of landscape painting and nature poetry in China.

Emperor Yao Visiting Yu Chonghua, mid- to late 1600s. Kusumi Morikage (Japanese, active c. 1620-1690). One of a pair of six-panel folding screens, ink, slight color, and gold on paper; image: 131.9 x 348 cm (51 15/16 x 137 in.); including mounting: 147.3 x 363.7 cm (58 x 143 3/16 in.). One of a pair, this screen shows a section of the narrative of how the Chinese Emperor Yao (about 2356-2255 BC) selected his successor, Yu Chonghua (about 2294- 2184 BC), who would become Emperor Shun. The artist who painted this screen, Kusumi Morikage, trained with Kano Tany? (1602-1647), painter-in-residence to Japans shogun, the countrys ruler, and was one of his four top students. Despite the conservative subject matter, Morikages distinctive sensibility shines through in his playful treatment of the gray and white elephants in the far left panel of the composition. According to legend, Chonghua was so virtuous that in the spring, elephants bounded down from the mountains to help him till the s

Carrying a Zither while Searching for Plum Blossoms. Painting. On hanging scroll mounted on panel: ink and color on silk. Height: 149 cm (58.6 in); Width: 97.3 cm (38.3 in). Author: Artist Unknown.

Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers right of a pair, 1807, Kushiro Unzen, Japanese, 1759 - 1811, 51 3/4 × 129 1/4 in. (131.45 × 328.3 cm) (image)59 5/8 × 134 5/8 × 1/2 in. (151.45 × 341.95 × 1.27 cm) (outer frame), Ink and light color on paper, Japan, 19th century

Fragment textiel, anonymous, 1781 - 1789 Textile fragment, embroidery of the three friends on Damast. Japan silk Textile fragment, embroidery of the three friends on Damast. Japan silk

Reading The Memorial Stele. Date/Period: 900/1000. Painting. Ink and light color on silk. Width: 104.9 cm. Height: 126.3 cm. Author: Li Cheng. Wang Xiao.

Puppeteer 19th century Teisai Hokuba. Puppeteer. Teisai Hokuba (Japanese, 1771-1844). Japan. 19th century. Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Paintings

Scene 3a. handscrolls. 1660. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Japanese

Wintry Landscape, in the Style of Guo Zhongshu. Artist: Ike Taiga (Japanese, 1723-1776). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 39 in. × 12 1/2 in. (99 × 31.7 cm)Overall with mounting: 75 × 17 15/16 in. (190.5 × 45.5 cm)Overall with knobs: 75 × 20 in. (190.5 × 50.8 cm). Date: late 18th century.A small boat carrying the scholarly passenger, who might be on his way to visit a friend in one of the houses in the distance, is described by wavy, sharp, hard, and needle-thin lines. A cluster of smaller houses is seen in the distance at the right. The gray palette of the painting is highlighted by coal-black ink lines that delineate bare twigs of trees and rounded contours of hills and mountains. Ike Taiga's inscription at the top right reads "After the brush of Guo Zhongshu, Ike Mumei" (Ho Kaku Chujo hitsu Ike Mumei). Guo Zhongshu, a tenth-century Chinese painter, was known for his eccentric behavior. Taiga must have become acquainted with Guo's name and work through painting manuals such as

Wild geese descending to sandbar. Artist: Unidentified Artist. Culture: Korea. Dimensions: Image: 49 3/4 × 19 1/4 in. (126.4 × 48.9 cm)Overall with mounting: 91 3/4 × 24 1/2 in. (233 × 62.2 cm)Overall with knobs: 91 3/4 × 27 1/4 in. (233 × 69.2 cm). Date: late 15th-early 16th century.Set in the modern province of Hunan, China, this landscape depicts a river valley and distant mountains with a flock of flying geese, the identifying marker of one of the most recognizable scenes from the Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers theme. This theme attained renown within Chinese literary and artistic circles during the Song period. Although its fame on the continent receded over time, in Korea, monochrome ink paintings of the subject reached a new height of popularity in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Indeed, early Joseon scrolls and screens illustrating the Eight Views represent Korean transformations of this classic theme.This scroll would originally have been part of a set. Th

Landscape with Man on Horseback. Artist: Liu Yen. Culture: China. Dimensions: 5 x 6 3/4 in. (12.7 x 17.1 cm). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Design for a Stage Set. Artist: Eugène Cicéri (French, Paris 1813-1890 Fontainebleau). Date: 1828-90. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Landscape with Ferry Boats. Date: 18th century. Origin: China. Period: Qing dynasty. Ink and color on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Making Ceramics first half of the19th century Eiraku Hozen Hozen, the eleventh-generation master of the Nishimura family, learned pottery techniques in Kyoto and produced tea utensils prized by the Sen family of tea masters. After 1827, he sealed his works as Eiraku.” He produced a variety of fine-quality wares, most of them special orders, including blue-and-white porcelain, copies of Chinese porcelain, and Cochin-style (K?chi ware) works with polychrome glazes. One of his signature techniques was the delicate application of overglaze gold patterns (kinrande) on red ground. Furthermore, Hozen made numerous copies of Ninsei ware. He was one of the most influential ceramists in Kyoto in the nineteenth century. An amateur painter, he created this series of six hanging scrolls (18.77.2-.7) depicting the process of ceramic production.A craftsman covers a vessel with liquid glaze while others load completed pieces into the multichambered climbing kiln in preparation for firing.. Making Cer

Gatehouse from Album of Illustrations for the Tale of Genji, 1600s. Japan, Edo period (1615-1868). Accordion album; ink, light color, and gold on paper; each leaf: 26.3 x 22 cm (10 3/8 x 8 11/16 in.); painting only: 17 x 20.6 cm (6 11/16 x 8 1/8 in.). This album contains illustrations for the classic literary work the Tale of Genji, authored in the 1000s by Murasaki Shikibu, an aristocrat of the Heian period (794-1185) court. The scenes are painted in the white drawing” (hakuby?) mode, in which a fine ink line is used to depict figures and spaces with great subtlety, punctuated only occasionally by traces of red pigment for a character’s lips, a detail of a garment, or a decorative element. These two scenes illustrate episodes from the chapters Thin Veil of Cloud” (Usugumo) and Barrier Gate” (Sekiya).

Scroll II.. 1501 - 1599. Illustrations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection

Snipes left from the triptych Three Evening Scenes, first half 19th century, Suzuki Kiitsu, Japanese, 1796 - 1858, 12 1/8 × 10 3/8 in. (30.8 × 26.35 cm) (image)59 1/8 × 14 3/4 in. (150.18 × 37.47 cm) (mount, without roller), Ink and color on silk, Japan, 19th century

Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons. Artist: Ikeda Koson (Japanese, 1803-1868). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image (a): 42 3/8 × 14 3/16 in. (107.7 × 36 cm)Overall with mounting (a): 76 3/16 × 18 11/16 in. (193.5 × 47.5 cm)Overall with knobs: 76 3/16 × 20 3/4 in. (193.5 × 52.7 cm)Image (b): 42 5/8 × 14 1/4 in. (108.3 × 36.2 cm)Overall with mounting (b): 76 3/8 × 18 3/4 in. (194 × 47.6 cm)Overall with knobs (b): 76 3/8 × 20 13/16 in. (194 × 52.8 cm). Date: mid-19th century.The right-hand scroll depicts flowers of the spring and summer seasons; the left, flowers and foliage of autumn and winter. Both works are executed in subtle yet rich tones and soft washes of color; leaves, branches, and flowers are rendered in the "boneless" manner--devoid of outline--that was typical of established Rinpa style. In numerous areas pigments are pooled or puddled together to create a mottled effect, a technique known as tarashikomi. Among the more talented students of Sakai Hoitsu, Suzuki Kiitsu

Pear Blossoms. Artist: Unidentified; After Qian Xuan (Chinese, ca. 1235-before 1307). Culture: China. Dimensions: Image: 12 5/16 x 37 7/8 in. (31.3 x 96.2 cm)Overall with mounting: 12 5/8 x 34 ft. 9 1/8 in. (32.1 x 1059.5 cm). Date: ca. 1280.Qian Xuan was one of the first scholar-painters to unite poetry, painting, and calligraphy within a single work. In Pear Blossoms a perfect interplay of poetic and pictorial imagery has been achieved. The artist's poem may be translated as follows: All alone by the veranda railing,teardrops drenching the branches,Although her face is unadorned,her old charms remain;Behind the locked gate, on a rainy night,how she is filled with sadness.How differently she looked bathed in golden wavesof moonlight, before the darkness fell.Unlike Emperor Huizong's (r. 1101-25) Finches and Bamboo, which demonstrates a commitment to an accurate rendering of nature, Qian Xuan's flowering branch and the fading beauty it represents are expressions of the artis

Drunken recluse beneath an old tree early 16th century Chen Zihe Chinese By the end of the fifteenth century the court had ceased to be the principal patron of the arts, so professional painters turned to private sponsors and to the marketplace as outlets for their work, adopting a bravura style of execution that transformed painting into a kind of performance art. Using an idiom of bold monochrome brushwork and graded ink washes first employed by Chan (Zen) Buddhist monk-artists during the thirteenth century, these artists made compositions with dazzling virtuosity, often before astonished onlookers.The Fukinese painter Chen Zihe was a significant regional master in this tradition who took the sobriquet "Uninhibited Immortal" to emphasize his rejection of convention. Chen's humorous and somewhat provocative image of a drunken immortal exhibits all the key conventions of his craft. The shallow picture space and tight composition are constructed of powerful diagonals that intensify the

Kanzan. Iten Ssei (Japan, 1472-1554). Japan, first half 16th century. Paintings; scrolls. One from a pair of hanging scrolls; ink on paper

The Tale of Genji 17th century Attributed to Kaih Ysetsu These handscrolls, representing all fifty-four chapters from Murasaki Shikibu’s literary masterpiece, have been attributed to Ysetsu, son of ink-painting master Kaih Ysh (1535-1615), and twenty-seven calligraphers. The painted scenes, with their skillful brushwork, occasional touches of gold and silver, and distinctive landscape elements, exhibit some similarities to other works associated with Ysetsu. One scene, for Chapter Forty-five, was executed by a different, less skilled artist, perhaps an apprentice.Although descended from a samurai family, Ysetsu, who lost his father while young, is known to have operated a shop selling ready-made pictures. His fortunes improved following his introduction to third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu (1605-1651), and artists of the Kano school; this led to commissions from courtiers and the shogun himself. [Conservation of The Tale of Genji handscrolls was made possible by a generous grant fr

Untitled. Date/Period: 19th century. Print. Woodblock print on paper. Height: 370 mm (14.56 in); Width: 250 mm (9.84 in). Author: Kikukawa Eizan.

Four Accomplishments, 17th century, Untaku Toetsu, 53 7/8 × 142 3/8 in. (136.84 × 361.63 cm) (image)59 3/8 × 148 1/2 × 3/4 in. (150.81 × 377.19 × 1.91 cm) (outer frame), Ink and color on paper, Japan, 17th century

Ocean Sky, Rising Sun. Origin: China. Date: 16th-17th century. Period: Ming dynasty. Ink, color, and gold on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

The Third Princess and a Cat, from the "New Herbs I" (Wakana I) chapter The Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari 18th century Attributed to Matsuno Chikanobu. The Third Princess and a Cat, from the "New Herbs I" (Wakana I) chapter The Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari. Attributed to Matsuno Chikanobu (Japanese, active early 18th century). Japan. 18th century. Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Paintings

Palm Trees in a Garden, Tomb of Puyemre New Kingdom Norman de Garis Davies ca. 1479-1458 B.C. View more. Palm Trees in a Garden, Tomb of Puyemre. Norman de Garis Davies (1865-1941). ca. 1479-1458 B.C.. Tempera on paper. New Kingdom. From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes. Dynasty 18

River Village in a Rainstorm, c. 1480-1507. Lu Wenying (Chinese). Hanging scroll, ink and slight color on silk; painting: 170.5 x 103.4 cm (67 1/8 x 40 11/16 in.); overall with knobs: 279.6 x 134.3 cm (110 1/16 x 52 7/8 in.).

Procession of Arhats Unidentified artist. Procession of Arhats. Unidentified artist. China. Album of ten leaves; ink on silk. Ming (1368-1644) or Qing (1644-1911) dynasty. Paintings

Listening to the Qin, late 1400s-early 1500s. Attributed to Tang Yin (Chinese, 1470-1523). Hanging scroll, ink and light color on silk; overall with knobs: 118 x 45 cm (46 7/16 x 17 11/16 in.); painting: 35.8 x 29.1 cm (14 1/8 x 11 7/16 in.).

Landscape 16th century or later Unidentified artist. Landscape 48872

Two eagles dated 1702 Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese After decades spent concealing his identity as a descendant of the Ming royal house, Bada Sharen, at the age of seventy-six, seems in this forceful depiction of eagles to be declaring his proud defiance of Manchu Qing rule. There is no immediate precedent for such imagery; instead, the painting harks back to the powerful representations of eagles and hawks created by the early Ming court artist Lin Liang (ca. 1416-1480). Lin's heroic birds are emblems of strength and courage suitable for presentation to military officials. Bada, a fervent Ming loyalist, has personalized this imagery, transforming the conventional symbolism into an expression of brave confrontation and unfaltering loyalty, his noble birds standing sentinel over a landscape now occupied by foreign conquerors Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #7635. Two Eagles Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this

Princess Ogimi from the "Bridge Maiden" (Hashihime) chapter from The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) early 18th century Hishikawa Wa In this scene from the forty-fifth chapter of The Tale of Genji, Kaoru—officially known as Genji’s son, although he is the product of an illicit affair between Genji’s wife and a young nobleman—pays a visit to the household of a prince in Uji. There he falls in love with the prince’s daughter igimi. The young girl has been playing her biwa (a lutelike instrument), and she raises the plectrum in the air as if to summon the moon, which appears from behind a cloud.The Edo-based artist Wa specialized in ukiyo-e paintings of beautiful women as well as woodblock prints. Few facts about his life are available, and he is believed by some to have been the same person as the far better-known artist and poet Hanabusa Itch (1652-1724).. Princess Ogimi from the "Bridge Maiden" (Hashihime) chapter from The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari). Hishikawa Wa (Japanese,

Scholar Viewing Plum Blossoms ca. 1300 Unidentified artist This small landscape is a rare example of the continuation of the Southern Song Painting Academy manner during the Mongol occupation. With the establishment of the native Chinese Ming dynasty in 1368, the Song style again returned to prominence as the model for the Ming Imperial Painting Academy. This painting demonstrates that practitioners of the Song style continued to work through the fourteenth century, bridging the gap between the two formal academies.Executed in the mode of the Song master Ma Yuan (act. ca. 1190-1225), the painting continues the subject matter and vividly descriptive manner of the Song but uses more abstract outline strokes to define rocks and tree trunks, reflecting the development of a calligraphic brush style by Yuan scholar-artists.Almost no paintings of this type survive in China; all known examples come from Japan, where this style and tall narrow format had an important influence on Japanese artis

Picture Book of Komatsubara 1761 Nishikawa Sukenobu Japanese. Picture Book of Komatsubara. Nishikawa Sukenobu (Japanese, 1671-1750). Japan. 1761. Woodblock-printed book; ink on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Illustrated Books

Scroll 1. Scene 3. 1500 - 1525. Illustrations. Spencer Collection

The actors Nakamura Fukusuke IV as Neiojo and Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Hachiro Tametomo 1892-1902 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban triptych . Toyohara Kunichika

Segment of Ressen Zukan.. Naganobu, Kano, 1775-1828. 1800 - 1825. Illustrations. Spencer Collection

Irises, 1700s. Watanabe Shikō (Japanese, 1683-1755). One of a pair of six-panel folding screens, ink and color on gilded paper; image: 152.8 x 360.4 cm (60 3/16 x 141 7/8 in.); overall: 164.6 x 372.4 cm (64 13/16 x 146 5/8 in.); closed: 170.8 x 64.5 x 12 cm (67 1/4 x 25 3/8 x 4 3/4 in.); panel: 164.8 x 62.1 cm (64 7/8 x 24 7/16 in.); with frame: 168.6 x 376.4 cm (66 3/8 x 148 3/16 in.).

Young Man and Woman Hanging Tanzaku Poem Cards Torii Kiyohiro (Japanese, died 1776). , c. 1750. Woodblock print, 28 3/8 x 4 1/8 in. (72.1 x 10.5 cm). Asian Art c. 1750

Flowers and Birds. Zhou Zhimian (China, about 1580-1610). China, Chinese, Ming dynasty, about 1580-1610. Paintings. Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris. Artist: Eugène Cicéri (French, Paris 1813-1890 Fontainebleau). Dimensions: Irregular sheet: 12 1/2 x 21 5/16 in. (31.7 x 54.1 cm). Date: 1828-90. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Two Children Seated near Overgrown Ruins. Dated: 1758. Dimensions: sheet: 20.6 x 30.4 cm (8 1/8 x 11 15/16 in.) mount: 28.8 x 39.1 cm (11 5/16 x 15 3/8 in.). Medium: pen and brown ink with brown wash over red chalk on laid paper. Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Author: Johann Georg Wille.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - October 12, 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, and one of the last great artists in that tradition. He was also referred to as Andō Hiroshige, and by the art name of Ichiyūsai Hiroshige. Among many masterpieces, Hiroshige is particularly remembered for 'The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidō' (1834-1842) and 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' (1852-1858).

Evening Landscape with Traveler, second half 18th century, Yosa Buson, Japanese, 1716 - 1783, 26 5/8 × 17 5/8 in. (67.63 × 44.77 cm) (image)57 1/2 × 18 5/16 in. (146.05 × 46.51 cm) (mount, without roller), Ink and light color on paper, Japan, 18th century

Knights in the mountains looking at a bear cub in the jaws of a huge snake YOSHIKAZU, UTAGAWA (FL. 1850 1870)

Still life: vase with peonies, and bric-a-brac. Origin: China. Date: 1368-1644. Period: Ming dynasty. Ink and color on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Painting, chinese painting, China, Huang Shen, 1764

Boatman in Rocky Cove Unidentified artist. Boatman in Rocky Cove 51737

Smoking out mosquitoes (Kayaribi)' - a woodcut created in 1768

Dragon Amid Waves. Soga Shōhaku (Japan, 1730-1781)Attributed to Soga Shōhaku (Japan, 1730-1781). Japan, Edo period, 18th century. Paintings; screens. Six-panel screen; ink on paper

Chinese Scholar Contemplating a Waterfall. Artist: Soga Shohaku (Japanese, 1730-1781). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 61 3/4 x 68 3/8 in. (156.8 x 173.7 cm).This mountain landscape, in which the human presence is but a minor aspect of the vastness of nature, draws on an archetypal motif in East Asian art first formulated by Song-dynasty painters in the tenth century. The eighteenth-century painter Soga Shohaku took liberties with tradition in this landscape. His vision of nature is more foreboding than grand, and the minute humans seem more in peril than in harmony with their strangely animated environment. At the edge of a precipice in the left foreground a gentleman sits contemplating a distant waterfall, unaware of the improbably huge splash that arches up over him like a dragon. To the right a single traveler crosses a mountain ravine on a precarious bridge. He seems to be making his way toward the temple at far right, but the path disappears in light-filled mist. In the dista

Tkaib with a Fishing Basket ca. 1768 Soga Shhaku Dynamically rendered in pale gray ink, a wizened Chinese sagelike figure holds a fishing basket while sitting in a thatched lean-to. His courtier’s cap, gourd jug, and the rocky crag he sits on are highlighted in dark tones. The scene refers to a legendary event in the life of the Chinese nobleman Jiang Ziya (fl.11th century BC), who is better known as Grand Duke Wang (Taigong Wang), or in Japanese as Taikb. One day, legend has it, Emperor Wu Wang while on a hunting trip came across Jiang Ziya fishing and was surprised to learn that the old man did not bait his hook, but waited for the fish to come to him, and was not concerned if he caught no fish at all. Impressed by his strategy of patience, the emperor brought him on as a military advisor, who ultimately helped Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou overthrow the Shang.The presence of the small seal reading “Soga Teruo” helps narrow down the date of execution to around 1768.. Tkaib with a

Orchid, second half 19th century, Sō Dokuro, Japanese, 1840 - 1889, 10 11/16 × 5 7/16 in. (27.15 × 13.81 cm), Ink on paper, Japan, 19th century

Beauty in Summer Breeze. Artist: Torii Kiyonaga (Japanese, 1752-1815). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 40 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. (103.5 x 31.8 cm). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Bamboo, frog, and insects. Origin: China. Date: 1368-1644. Period: Ming dynasty. Ink and color on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Towing a Boat in a Rainstorm. Artist: Unidentified Artist Chinese, late 12th century. Culture: China. Dimensions: Image: 9 5/8 × 10 1/4 in. (24.4 × 26 cm)Mat: 15 1/2 × 15 1/2 in. (39.4 × 39.4 cm). Date: late 12th century.In this painting, the modulated brush lines and vivid use of ink washes to model forms and evoke a moisture-laden atmosphere betray none of the hallmarks of the Southern Song academic style as defined by Ma Yuan (active ca. 1190-1225) and Xia Gui (active ca. 1195-1230). Recalling the late eleventh-century style of Guo Xi and other Northern Song masters, the painting can reasonably be dated to the early Southern Song era. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Child crossing bridge, 1814, Woodcuts, Surimono

Winter and Summer Flowers, c. 1600. Kaihō Yūshō (Japanese, 1533-1615). One of a pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper; image: 157 x 357.6 cm (61 13/16 x 140 13/16 in.); overall: 169.6 x 370.2 cm (66 3/4 x 145 3/4 in.); panel: 169.6 x 61.7 cm (66 3/4 x 24 5/16 in.); with frame: 173.2 x 373.8 cm (68 3/16 x 147 3/16 in.).

Children Playing in Summer and Winter early 19th century Maruyama shin Japanese Two groups of young children delight in the possibilities for adventure offered by a summer river and a winter snowfall. The boys of summer try their skill at ferrying one another about in a small boat, while the winter squad braves uneven footing to shepherd an ever-larger snowball across a sparkling white field. Inspired by a Chinese painting tradition of depicting imperial children at play in palace gardens, this pair of screens subverts and updates the genre with its sparse, graphic landscapes. The painter shin was the third head of the Maruyama school, founded by Maruyama ky (1790-1838).. Children Playing in Summer and Winter. Maruyama shin (Japanese, 1790-1838). Japan. early 19th century. Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Screens

Landscape with Daoist immortals in the mountains. Date: 17th century. Origin: China. Period: Ming or Qing dynasty. Ink and color on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Flowers of Spring and Autumn. After Ogata Kōrin (Japan, 1658-1716). Japan, 19th century. Paintings; screens. Pair of six-panel screens; color and gold on paper

Design for wall painting with Hollands Landschap, Jurriaan Andriessen, c. 1752 - c. 1819 drawing paper. watercolor (paint). ink. pencil. graphite (mineral) pen / brush

Scroll 2, scene 7. 1650 - 1699. text. Manuscripts, Illustrations. Spencer Collection

Illustration with fishes by E. Ting, Watercolor and ink on paper, 18th century, Russia, Moscow, State Oriental Art Museum

Seiōgyū Riding Backward on an Ox. Sekkan (Japan, active 1555-1558). Japan, mid-16th century. Paintings; scrolls. Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Japan, Nagoya, Castle, Hommaru Palace, interior, paintings,

Richard Wilson RA, 1714-1782, British, active in Italy (1750-56), Shepherd Seated Under a Tree, undated. Black chalk and white chalk on medium, rough textured, blue laid paper.

Collection of paintings by Chen Shiceng. Rong Bao Zhai (1672- ), publishing house, Chen, Shiceng, painter

Fishermen Raising a Net. Origin: China. Date: 16th-17th century. Period: Ming dynasty. Ink and color on silk. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Dragon and Tiger. Date/Period: Ca. 1850. Decorative Arts. Pair of six-panel screens, colour, ink, silver alloy on paper. Height: 175 mm (6.88 in); Width: 420 mm (16.53 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Shepherds returning in the storm. Li, Di (1110 - post 1197), painter

Butterflies and Peonies mid- to late19th century Attributed to Nam Gye-u Korean Famous for his elegant paintings of butterflies, the literati artist Nam Gye-u earned the nickname Nam Butterfly.” This scroll, though lacking the artist’s signature or seal, closely reflects his style. It was likely originally one panel of a multipanel screen, with each scene depicting butterflies fluttering amid a different flowering plant. Here, the subtly hued yet luscious peonies provide an ideal foil for butterflies of varying color and texture. Oversized relative to the peony blossoms, the butterflies command the viewer’s attention, as intended by the artist. In addition to being a talented painter, Nam was also well versed in poetry and literary criticism, the attributes of the ideal Joseon-period Confucian scholar.. Butterflies and Peonies. Attributed to Nam Gye-u (Korean, 1811-1890) (artist name: Ilho). Korea. mid- to late19th century. Ink and color on silk. Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). Paintings

Kite and two crows, c. 1766-1770, Yosa Buson, Japanese, 1716 - 1783, 45 1/8 × 17 1/8 in. (114.62 × 43.5 cm) (image)81 × 23 1/2 in. (205.74 × 59.69 cm) (mount), Ink and color on silk, Japan, 18th century, A pair of crows huddle against a downpour of rain, suggested by diagonal bands of ink wash and downturned leaves. Farther up on the same branch, a kite (a type of bird of prey) appears unperturbed by the stormy weather. The pairing of a kite and crows appears with some frequency in paintings by Yosa Buson, as it does in a type of poetry known as haikai (the poetic form from which modern-day haiku evolved). Buson was a master of both mediums, and it is possible that the subject of his painting was drawn from a poem.

Auspicious Buddhist Objects and Poem. Tani Bunchō (Japan, 1763-1840). no date. Paintings. Fragment of a hanging scroll; ink on paper

Fan Painting of a Daoist Magician, c. 1650, Wan Shouqi, Chinese, 1603 - 1652, 8 1/4 x 18 3/8 in. (20.96 x 46.67 cm) (fan), Ink and color on paper, China, 17th century, Wan Shouqi was a poet, calligrapher, seal carver and painter from a family of high officials. He earned his juren degree in 1630 and published his first collection of poems three years later. An extreme Ming loyalist whose life was changed forever by the Manchu overthrow in 1644, Wan became a monk and retired from active life in 1646. Living quietly in Anhui province, he was forced to sell paintings and calligraphy for a living. Wan's figural paintings are relatively scarce.

Artist, traditionally attributed: Ma Yuan, Chinese, ca. 1150-after 1255, Man in Hut inWinter, Album leaf, ink and color on silk, without mounting: 10 7/16 × 12 in. (26.5 × 30.5 cm), China, Chinese, Ming dynasty(1368-1644), Paintings

Scholar in his Creek Side Retreat, 17th-18th century, Gu Fuzhen, Chinese, 1634-after 1716, 9 5/8 x 19 in. (24.45 x 48.26 cm) (image, sheet), Ink and color on gold-flecked paper, China, 17th-18th century

The Nine-Bend Streams of Wuyi Song-Kwang Kim. , 19th century. Ink and light color on paper, Overall: 24 x 61 1/4 in. (61 x 155.6 cm). Asian Art 19th century

Six-part screen. Such screen representing a flight herons above water and rocks. Note: See also AK-MAK-170-B.

Landscape in the style of Fan Kuan early 12th century Unidentified artist Once considered a work of the Ming period (1368-1644), this monumental landscape in the style of Fan Kuan can be dated stylistically to the twelfth century. A mountainscape built up in three stages, the painting shows a boat landing at the foot of a tree-covered bluff in the foreground; travelers heading toward a temple retreat in the middle ground; and mountain peaks rising in the background. The composition, showing mountain masses floating amid and unified by mist, compares closely to works firmly dated to the twelfth century. For example, the depiction of rocks and trees partially obliterated by mist and the blurring and fusing of texture strokes of different ink values reveal the artists familiarity with the paintings of Guo Xi (ca. 1000-ca. 1090). The angular rock faces with “raindrop” texture dots and the scrubby foliage on the peaks are characteristic of paintings in the style of Fan Kuan. Listen to expe

Japan, Kyoto, Honen-in Temple, screen painting

A Hunt in the Mountains of Heaven. Artist unknown spurious signature of Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322), dated1301; Chinese. Date: 1601-1700. Dimensions: 12 7/8 × 354 in. (33.3 × 899.2 cm). Handscroll; ink and colors on paper. Origin: China. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, USA.

Japan, Nagoya, Castle, Hommaru Palace, interior, paintings

Zhang Qians meeting with the Weaving Maid and the Cowherd in the Milky Way.. Artist: Teng Zhuo, Chinese, active 1821-50

Calligraphy Couplet. Calligrapher: Lianfang Songfou (Chinese). Culture: China. Dimensions: Overall (a): 67 1/2 x 14 3/4 in. (171.5 x 37.5 cm)Overall (b): 67 1/2 x 14 3/4 in. (171.5 x 37.5 cm). Date: 19th century.The poetic couplet on this pair of tapestries is woven to represent calligraphy written in clerical script. The background imitates spotted bamboo, which was highly regarded in China because the spots on the stalks were understood to represent the tears of two empresses after the death of the legendary ruler Shun. The signature indicates that the original calligraphy is the work of Aisin Gioro Songfu (act. early 19th century), a member of the imperial family who was Minister of the Justice from 1825 to 1826. The couplet conflates two different poems by the famous Song dynasty poet Su Shi (1037-1101):Clear spirit and cool mind keep one fromthe mundaneGood harvest and social harmony create ease. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Ink Plum 15th century Heisen (Bysen) Myshitsu A branch of plum still covered with snow but beginning to blossom, and a plum branch in full bloom are depicted in this pair of hanging scrolls, each of which bears a single crimson seal of the artist along the lower right-hand border. Plum blossoms were symbolic of the arrival of spring in both China and Japan, and were a frequent subject in Japanese seasonal poetry, but following the arrival of Chinese ink paintings of plums in Japan, they became a popular subject for Zen ink painters. In the left-hand painting, blank space surrounded by wash represents snow and the newly emerging blossoms; the right-hand scroll features more sweeping brush strokes of dark ink. Little is known about Heisen Myshitsu, a painter mentioned in the Koga Biko (a biographical “dictionary” of artists published around 1850), save that he was a Zen monk. Like other Zen ink painters of his era, he was clearly influenced by Chinese ink painters of the Song (960-127

Rikka o nagameru san bijin, Three beauties admiring an arrangement of rikka flowers., Utagawa, Kuninao, 1793-1854, artist, between 1810 and 1815, 1 print : woodcut, color ; 19.2 x 38 cm., Print shows three women admiring the arrangements of plants in a large pot.

Birds and Flowers, mid-1400s-early 1500s. Attributed to Sesshū Tōyō (Japanese, 1420-1506). Hanging scroll from a triptych; ink and color on silk; image: 55.9 x 53.4 cm (22 x 21 in.); overall: 117 x 58 cm (46 1/16 x 22 13/16 in.).

Scroll I.. 1501 - 1599. Illustrations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection

Peafowl and Phoenixes, late 1500s. Attributed to Tosa Mitsuyoshi (Japanese, 1539-1613). Pair of six-panel screens; ink, color, and gold on gilded paper; overall: 173.1 x 374.4 cm (68 1/8 x 147 3/8 in.); overall: 175.9 x 377.2 cm (69 1/4 x 148 1/2 in.). Phoenixes are fantastical birds said to inhabit paulownia trees and eat bamboo, and to celebrate virtuous rulers. Peafowl are birds that amuse themselves in the lake of the Buddha Amidas Pure Land, a paradise where many once hoped to find themselves after death. Both birds appeared on Japanese textiles or paintings in the 1500s and 1600s, used in official ceremonies centered around emperors.

Arrival of the "Southern Barbarians", c. 1600. Japan, Momoyama period (1573-1615). One of a pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper; image: 146.7 x 337.2 cm (57 3/4 x 132 3/4 in.).

Petit Point. Dated: 1935/1942. Dimensions: overall: 55.1 x 58.5 cm (21 11/16 x 23 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 78" long. Medium: watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paper. Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Author: Bessie Vandre.

Japan, Landscape with fisherman, Envelope for poetry paper, decorated with landscape., print, envelope, prints, Japan (collection), height 196 mm, width 75 mm, print maker, printmaker, 1900 - 1970, first quarter 20th century, second quarter 20th century, paper, colour woodcut

Dragon and waves. ink on paper. Origin: Japan. Period: Edo period. Date: 1615-1868. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Textile Fragment, 1800s. Japan, 19th century. Tapestry; silk; overall: 61 x 20.4 cm (24 x 8 1/16 in.).

Dancing the Bon Odori. Origin: Japan. Period: Edo period. Color and gold on paper. Date: second quarter, 17th century. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

of 2