White-eye on a Branch c. 19th century

print, ink, color-on-paper

toned paper

water colours

pastel soft colours

ink paper printed

print

japan

handmade artwork painting

ink

color-on-paper

coffee painting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

botanical art

watercolor

"White-eye on a Branch" is a delicate 19th-century Japanese painting by the artist Suitō. The artwork showcases a white-eye perched on a branch adorned with red berries and autumnal leaves, rendered in subtle hues of green, red, and brown. The artist's meticulous brushwork captures the bird's delicate features and the gentle sway of the branch, creating a tranquil and serene atmosphere. This painting is a testament to the beauty of nature and the artistry of Japanese ink and wash painting, known as suibokuga. The artwork, currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, invites viewers to appreciate the quiet beauty of the natural world.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

White-eyes are small birds native to tropical, subtropical and temperate southern and eastern Asia-including Japan. Here, the artists depicted a white-eye grasping onto a branch in an almost upside-down position, as if it just alighted to feast on the ripe red fruit. The leaves on the branch are turning orange and brown, suggesting the coming of autumn. What makes this rather simple composition charming is its delicate coloring. The light green of the bird beautifully contacts with the autumnal colors of the branch. The pale pink gradation applied on the bird's underside accents its slight plumpness, evidence of its preparations for winter.