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A spoonbill and water-grass

School of Kano Tan'yu 狩野探幽 (1602-1674)

A few light touches of the brush represent water and marsh grasses, while a pale ink wash defines the form of the bird and contrasts with its white plumage. From his broad knowledge of Chinese and Japanese painting styles and subjects, Tan’yu developed a distinctive new aesthetic that was a unique synthesis of the two artistic traditions. Characteristics of Tan’yu’s influential style appear in this painting, particularly in the use of ink to suggest rather than to describe physical form.

Date

17th century

Type

Painting

Medium

Ink and tint on paper

Department

NMAA

Institution

National Museum of Asian Art

Object number

fsg_F1904.123

Credit

Gift of Charles Lang Freer