Pines and Vines, second half 18th century
Chō Tōsaiexpand_more
Ink on paperexpand_more
Gift of the Clark Center for Japanese Art & Cultureexpand_more 2013.29.952
Not on Viewexpand_more
Chō Tōsai was the son of a Chinese merchant and a Japanese courtesan in the Maruyama brothel district of Nagasaki. He was adopted by the Buddhist monk Jikuan (1699–1756), and when Jikuan became the 13th abbot of Kyoto’s Manpuku-ji Temple, Tōsai moved there as well. After Jikuan’s retirement in 1739, Tōsai returned to secular life and traveled through Japan as a painter, calligrapher, and teacher of Chinese Ming Dynasty style and culture. He lived in Edo (today’s Tokyo) from 1744 until moving to Osaka in 1758 where he was considered the leading Chinese-style calligrapher of his time. The two characters here represent the Chinese name (songluo, Jp. shōra) of the plant beard lichen (sc. Usnea) but also refer to vines entwined with pine trees as a metaphor for the firm relationship between men and women.
松蘿
Pines and vines
Details
- Title
- Pines and Vines
- Artist Life
- 1713 - 1786
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2013.29.952
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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