Landscape [right of a triptych of White-Robed Kannon with Landscapes] c. late 15th century
kenkoshokei
minneapolisinstituteofart
ink, color-on-paper
toned paper
light pencil work
ink painting
pencil sketch
japan
possibly oil pastel
ink
color-on-paper
pencil drawing
ink drawing experimentation
underpainting
watercolour illustration
watercolor
This hanging scroll, titled "Landscape [right of a triptych of White-Robed Kannon with Landscapes]," is a work by the Japanese artist Kenkō Shōkei, dating from the late 15th century. Part of a larger triptych depicting the Buddhist deity Kannon, this painting showcases a detailed portrayal of a mountainous landscape. Dominated by a pale gray background, the scene reveals a winding river meandering through the rugged terrain, framed by rocky cliffs and towering pines. Shōkei's masterful use of ink washes creates a sense of depth and tranquility, highlighting the artist's skillful execution of the **"haboku"** ink painting technique, a hallmark of Japanese landscape painting.
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Buddhist monks, particularly those of the Zen school, were devoted landscape painters. Like calligraphy, painting was considered part of the spiritual training necessary for enlightenment. Zen monks favored monochrome ink painting due to its simplicity and straightforwardness. The priest Kenkō Shōkei, who served as secretary at Kenchōji Temple in Kamakura, studied Chinese paintings from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties and became a key figure in the ink-painting circles of Japan
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