Winter [center left from the set Rice Farming in the Four Seasons] by Kano Sanraku

Winter [center left from the set Rice Farming in the Four Seasons] c. 1620s

toned paper

ink painting

light earthy tone

japan

tile art

earthy tone

coffee painting

underpainting

map art

mixed medium

watercolor

"Winter" is a Japanese painting, or *Nihonga*, from the 1620s by Kano Sanraku. It depicts a serene winter landscape with snow-capped mountains and a river winding through the foreground. The minimalist style, characterized by delicate brushstrokes and subtle tones of gray and brown, is typical of the Kano school. Sanraku, a prominent figure in the Kano school, was known for his elegant landscapes and mastery of ink painting. This work exemplifies his artistic skill and captures the tranquil beauty of the Japanese winter season.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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These sliding door panels originally formed the four walls of a small reception chamber at Daikakuji, a Buddhist temple in northwest Kyoto that also served as the palace for Japan’s emperor. The panels form a continuous panorama from wall to wall and present various activities associated with rice cultivation: plowing, transplanting the rice, irrigating, threshing, and grinding. The didactic theme is derived from Chinese painting; agriculture, according to Confucian teachings, is the basis of a well-ordered society. Accordingly, when Japanese rulers adopted Confucianism as their ruling ideology, they also commissioned paintings that reflected social stability, morality, and government values. Although unsigned, these paintings were likely produced by Kano Sanraku. As head of the Kyoto branch of the influential Kano school, Sanraku counted several prominent aristocratic families and Buddhist monasteries, including Daikakuji, as key patrons.