Monkeys by a Waterfall

Accession Number
1986/2.61.1

Title
Monkeys by a Waterfall

Artist(s)
Mori Sosen

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1807-1821

Medium & Support
ink on paper

Dimensions
78 1/2 in x 28 1/2 in (199.39 cm x 72.39 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by a gift from Helmut Stern

Label copy
In this pair of hanging scrolls, Mori Sosen depicts three monkeys by a waterfall in the mountains. In the scroll on the right, a small monkey sits next to a larger monkey, absorbed in the task of grooming. The larger monkey appears to look anxiously toward the young monkey climbing a tall tree in the scroll on the left. Through this motherly gaze, Mori Sosen skillfully unifies a representation of motion and of quiet watchfulness.
 
One of the most prominent painters of the Shijō school, which was known for a painting style that emphasized the careful study of nature, Mori Sosen was often called a “monkey painter” because of his frequent portrayals of the subject. His detailed, realistic depictions suggest he had a profound knowledge of the animal’s anatomy, likely acquired through observation. Sosen’s works were highly coveted in his native city of Osaka. This pair of scrolls was painted after he turned sixty and changed the first character of his name from “ancestor” to “monkey” (the two written characters are pronounced the same way).
 
Fall rotation 2016.

Subject matter
One of the most prominent painters of the Shijō school, which was known for a painting style that emphasized the careful study of nature, Mori Sosen was often called a “monkey painter” because of his frequent portrayals of the subject. His detailed, realistic depictions suggest he had a profound knowledge of the animal’s anatomy, likely acquired through observation. Sosen’s works were highly coveted in his native city of Osaka. This pair of scrolls was painted after he turned sixty and changed the first character of his name from “ancestor” to “monkey” (the two written characters are pronounced the same way).

Physical Description
Two monkeys are seen at the base of a waterfall. They are painted in soft shades of gray and sit among plants. The monkey on the right fidgets with its hands, while the other looks over its shoulder at the waterfall. This is a pair with 1986/2.61.2.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
hanging scroll

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
ink
monkeys (animals)
waterfalls (natural bodies of water)

4 Related Resources

Ink and Realisms
(Part of: Artist Associations and Art Movements)
Japan Pax Tokugawa 1600-1868
(Part of: Empires and Colonialism)
Landscape and Nature, Comparative and Historical
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)

& Author Notes

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