Famous Themes for Painting Study Known as “The Garden of Painting” (Gaen) 1600 - 1670

Kano Tan'yū's "Famous Themes for Painting Study Known as ‘The Garden of Painting’ (Gaen)” is a striking example of the artist's masterful ink-wash technique and exemplifies the Japanese tradition of *suki-e*, "pictures of emptiness," which emphasizes the use of negative space. Painted on a long hanging scroll, the work depicts a misty landscape with low-lying hills and sparse vegetation. It was created during the Edo period (1603-1868) and is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tan'yū's work, renowned for its elegant simplicity, exemplifies the refined taste of the time and the artistic evolution that was occurring during the Edo period.