Summer and Autumn Landscapes 1834 - 1866

Nakabayashi Chikkei created these expansive "Summer and Autumn Landscapes" with ink and gold on paper in 19th century Japan. The six-panel screen presents an immersive vista of nature rendered with delicate washes of ink against a luminous gold ground. Notice how the composition unfolds, the mountains and trees emerge from and recede into a hazy atmosphere. Chikkei masterfully employs the technique of suggestion rather than explicit detail to create a dreamlike space. The misty quality destabilizes a conventional reading of landscape, challenging the viewer's sense of depth and perspective. The gold leaf background, far from being merely decorative, acts as a field of light, creating a sense of ethereal distance. This piece invites a slower, more contemplative viewing, where the shifting relationships between ink, gold, and the implied forms of nature create a space for individual reflection and interpretation. This is less a depiction of a specific place and more an invitation to a state of mind.