Hermits and a Fairy (Right side) 1590

Kanō Eitoku made this ink, color, and gold leaf six-panel screen in Japan sometime in the late 16th century. The figures and landscape that Eitoku paints are not simply a pretty picture but offer an implicit commentary on the artist’s role in the social life of the time. This section of the screen depicts figures in nature. In line with the Zen Buddhism of the period, this implies a rejection of the social world, with its hierarchies and institutions, in favor of the natural world. This theme spoke to a society undergoing significant change, as the old feudal system was breaking down. As a painter for the court, Eitoku occupied an interesting place in this changing social order. We can see the tension between these traditional and progressive ideas in his choice of subject, in the painting’s fine lines and naturalistic depiction, and in its luxurious use of gold leaf. To fully understand this work, we need to understand the history and function of art and artists in Japan at this time. It is by understanding these cultural and institutional contexts that we can start to unravel the complex web of meanings within the artwork itself.