Twilight Landscape 1392 - 1573

Ikkyū Sōjun made this Twilight Landscape using ink on paper in fifteenth-century Japan. The soft, hazy quality comes from the ink bleeding into the absorbent paper. The artist used a brush, likely made of animal hair, to apply the ink. The character of each stroke depends on the pressure applied and the consistency of the ink. Notice how the artist modulated from dark, saturated lines to a light wash in order to capture the landscape's atmospheric effects. The tools and techniques used here are fundamental to calligraphy, traditionally viewed as the highest of all art forms in East Asia. While this work engages with painting, it transcends traditional boundaries through the inclusion of calligraphy, a revered art form. This piece also highlights the importance of materials and making, revealing how inherent qualities and processes infuse the artwork with cultural significance, thereby questioning conventional distinctions between art and craft.