Accession Number
2010/2.28

Title
Spring Landscape

Artist(s)
Nakanishi Kōseki

Object Creation Date
1852

Medium & Support
sumi ink on paper

Dimensions
52 in x 12 5/8 in (132 cm x 32 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Stuart Katz

Subject matter
"Nanga (southern painting) or Bunjinga (scholar or literati painting) artists took a form of Chinese painting as their model. The Chinese Ming dynasty artist/theorist Dong Qichang (1555–1636) established two categories of painting: northern painting, which was orthodox and academic (painters were formally trained and sold their work for a living); and southern painting, which was freely executed and expressive (ideally these artists were scholar-amateurs who did not paint for a living). Japanese literati artists, although forbidden to travel to China, studied and emulated the southern style of painting and Chinese art theories through imported books. Nanga painters generally declined to serve the samurai class, and preferred instead to survive by selling works to educated merchants and farmers. They often painted for each other and prided themselves as being intellectuals, poets, tea masters, raconteurs, as well as painters. They are most associated with smaller formats, such as hanging scrolls and fans, but several Nanga artists also produced screen paintings. Nanga artists primarily resided in Kyoto and Osaka."

“Japanese Painting: Nanga and Bunjinga School: Education: Asian Art Museum.” Asian Art Museum, education.asianart.org/resources/japanese-painting-nanga-and-bunjinga-school/.
 

Physical Description
There are trees scattered around on a mountain. Further in the distance, there is another mountain peak rising from the mist. In the top left corner of the hanging scroll, there is an inscription and a seal.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
hanging scroll

Additional Object Classification(s)
Painting

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
bridges (built works)
hanging scrolls
ink
landscapes (environments)
mountains
travelers (people by activity)
trees