The Zen Eccentric Xianzi [left of a pair of Zhutou and Xianzi] by Yōgetsu

The Zen Eccentric Xianzi [left of a pair of Zhutou and Xianzi] late 15th-early 16th century

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drawing, paper, ink-on-paper, ink

drawing

asian-art

figuration

paper

ink-on-paper

ink

coloured pencil

line

Dimensions: 10 13/16 × 8 9/16 in. (27.46 × 21.75 cm) (image)47 3/8 × 14 7/16 in. (120.33 × 36.67 cm) (mount, without roller)

This is *The Zen Eccentric Xianzi*, a hanging scroll made by Yōgetsu in ink on paper. The monochromatic palette immediately establishes a contemplative mood, inviting us to look closer at its formal structure. Yōgetsu destabilizes traditional landscape painting through the careful placement of the figure and landscape elements. Note the figure's placement on the left against the bare expanse of the ground. The composition, asymmetrical and sparse, encourages a reading from left to right, where the figure is seen progressing through the scenery. The rough brushstrokes used to depict the figure and sparse landscape are a clear break from the highly detailed style of other paintings of that time. It demonstrates a move toward abstraction. The artist is not just representing a figure, but a concept of enlightened eccentricity and the philosophical idea of Zen Buddhism. By challenging formal conventions, Yōgetsu invites us to reconsider fixed perspectives and embrace the Daoist notion of fluidity and continual transformation.

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minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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These paintings show two eccentric Chinese Zen priests, both of whom became famous for ignoring Zen restrictions on eating meat. Zhutou, at right, loved to eat boar meat and was known for carrying a boar head around town. His counterpart at left, Xianzi, was known to wander riverbanks eating clams, shrimp, and crayfish. Legend has it that Xianzi gained enlightenment while catching a shrimp, and this is the moment shown here. Despite their disregard for Zen monastic rules, such unruly priests were often held in high regard for following their own paths. This pair of hanging scrolls is among a small handful of works by the enigmatic painter Yōgetsu, known only by the seals impressed on his works. He is believed to have been a Zen priest living in Kyoto.