Ink on paperexpand_more
Gift of Harriet and Edson Spencerexpand_more 99.59.34
Kōans are seemingly nonsensical questions that a Zen master would ask his pupils, and among the most famous kōans is this one: "How to catch a slippery catfish with a smooth gourd." In the 15th century, a court painter made the first known painting of this subject. By the early 18th century, a more humorous take on the phrase began to appear in Ōtsu-e, the simple folk paintings that originated in the town of Ōtsu, on Lake Biwa—a monkey hopelessly trying to achieve the impossible.
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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know