Skip to Main Content
72/92

Japanese Screen Painting

Figure 101 Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, late 16th century;
artist: Unknown Japanese;
Pair of six-panel folding screens, ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, Image: 63 1/4 in. × 11 ft. 10 in. (160.7 × 360.7 cm), Overall: 69 3/8 in. × 12 ft. 4 1/2 in. (176.2 × 377.2 cm);
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, New York), Purchase, Mrs. Jackson Burke and Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation Gifts, 1987, 1987.342.1, .2 © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All Rights Reserved.

Object/Work🔺

  • Catalog Level:🔺 set (value type: controlled list)

  • Type:🔺 screens (value type: authority)

  • Components/Parts-Quantity: 2 Type: parts (value type: controlled list)
    Components/Parts: 6 Type: panels (value type: authority)

Classification🔺

  • Terms:🔺
    painting
    Asian Art (value type: controlled list)

Titles or Names🔺

  • Text:🔺 Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons (value type: free text)
    Preference: preferred (value type: controlled list)
    Type: repository

  • Text:🔺 四季花鳥図屏風
    Preference: alternate
    Language: Japanese

Creation🔺

  • Creator Description:🔺 unknown Japanese (value type: free text)

  • Identity:🔺 unknown Japanese (value type: authority)
    Role:🔺 painter

  • Creation Date:🔺 late 16th century (value type: free text)
    Earliest:🔺 1550 Latest:🔺 1600 (value type: controlled format)

Style/Period/Group/Movement

  • Indexing Terms:
    Momoyama (Japanese period)
    Kano School (Japanese painting style) (value type: authority)

Measurements🔺

  • Dimensions Description: pair of 6-panel folding screens; image: 160.7 x 360.7 cm (63 1/4 x 11 ft 10 in.); overall: 176.2 x 377.2 cm (69 3/8 in. x 12 ft 4 1/2 in.) (value type: free text)

  • Extent: image
    Value: 160.7 Unit: cm Type: height
    Value: 360.7 Unit: cm Type: width (value type: controlled format and controlled lists)

  • Extent: overall
    Value: 176.2 Unit: cm Type: height
    Value: 360.7 Unit: cm Type: width

Materials and Techniques🔺

  • Description:🔺 Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper (value type: free text)

  • Material Name:
    ink Role: medium
    paint Role: medium
    gold Role: medium
    gold leaf Role: medium
    panels Role: support (value type: authority)

Subject Matter🔺

  • Indexing Terms:🔺
    landscape
    crane
    pine trees
    cedar trees
    hedges
    brushwood (value type: authority)

Descriptive Note

  • Text: With its depiction of a crane motif flanked by seasonal flowers, exaggerated trees, and brushwood in high releif, this work exemplifies the techniques espoused by Kano Motonobu’s (1476-1559) Kano School painting. Additional design elements likewise reflect the bold stylistic tendencies of prolific Japanese painter Kano Eitoku (1543-1590). The crane and natural elements, evidencing the transition from winter to spring, symbolize longevity and the progression of time.(value type: free text)

  • Citation: The Met Collection online (value type: authority)
    Page: accessed 19 July 2024 (value type: free text)

Current Location🔺

  • Repository Name/Geographic Location:🔺 The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, New York, United States) (value type: authority)
    Repository Numbers:🔺 1987.342.1, .2 (value type: free text)

NOTE: 🔺 indicates a core CDWA category.

Revised 25 July 2024
by Emily Benoff

Figure 101 Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, late 16th century;
artist: Unknown Japanese;
Pair of six-panel folding screens, ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, Image: 63 1/4 in. × 11 ft. 10 in. (160.7 × 360.7 cm), Overall: 69 3/8 in. × 12 ft. 4 1/2 in. (176.2 × 377.2 cm);
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, New York), Purchase, Mrs. Jackson Burke and Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation Gifts, 1987, 1987.342.1, .2 © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All Rights Reserved.