Accession Number
1969/1.105

Title
Yatsuhashi (iris and haiku poem)

Artist(s)
Sakaki Hyakusen

Object Creation Date
1st half of 18th century

Medium & Support
hanging scroll, ink on paper

Dimensions
40 7/16 in x 10 15/16 in (102.71 cm x 27.8 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Label copy
This scroll is an example of "haiga," a Japanese style of painting where the freely painted image accompanies a short poem called "haiku." Sakaki Hyakusen was a pioneer of this style. The poem on this scroll is entitled "At Yatshuhashi": On the bridge posts, I laid down my brush, the iris.The spontaneous quality of the brushstrokes can be seen in the iris leaves. Notice how the dark leaf "bleeds" into the lighter one underneath because the srokes were done quickly before the ink had a chance to dry.

Subject matter
This scroll is an example of " haiga," a Japanese style of painting where the freely painted image accompanies a short poem called "haiku." Sakaki Hyakusen was a pioneer of this style. The poem on this scroll is entitled "At Yatshuhashi": On the bridge posts, I laid down my brush, the iris. The spontaneous quality of the brushstrokes can be seen in the iris leaves. Notice how the dark leaf "bleeds" into the lighter one underneath because the strokes were done quickly before the ink had a chance to dry.

Physical Description
There are two iris flowers surrounded by their leaves coming from the bottom left corner of the hanging scroll. In the top middle section of the hanging scroll is a poem.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
hanging scroll

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
Japan
calligraphy
calligraphy (visual works)
flower (motif)
flowers
hanging scroll
hanging scrolls
poem
poems