Hawks by a Stream [right of a pair], mid 17th century
Soga Nichokuanexpand_more
Ink and color on paperexpand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fund; purchase from the collection of Elizabeth and Willard Clarkexpand_more 2013.31.46.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Birds of prey became a favorite subject of members of Japan’s warrior class beginning in the 1400s and 1500s. When applied to large-scale paintings like folding screens, such images, which express notions such as military prowess, power, and valor, made for a particularly impressive backdrop for warriors’ receptions rooms. Soga Nichokuan, like his father, Soga Chokuan (Nichokuan literally means “the second Chokuan”), specialized in images of birds, especially hawks and other birds of prey, whose textured feathers they described using a meticulous layering of various tones of ink wash. The hawks of Nichokuan and his father owe a great deal to older Chinese and Japanese paintings . But Nichokuan, particularly in late works like this one, placed these more conservative birds into surreal landscapes of knobby, wildly twisting trees, jagged boulders, and sometimes bizarre water features.
Details
- Title
- Hawks by a Stream [right of a pair]
- Artist Life
- active c. 1620 - 1660
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2013.31.46.2
- 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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