Cherry [right of a pair of Cherry and Willow] by Hasegawa School

Cherry [right of a pair of Cherry and Willow] c. 17th century

natural stone pattern

naturalistic pattern

abstract painting

japan

handmade artwork painting

tile art

fluid art

organic pattern

wooden texture

layered pattern

watercolor

This six-panel screen, *Cherry [right of a pair of Cherry and Willow]*, is a stunning example of Japanese art from the 17th century. Created by the Hasegawa School, this screen depicts a delicate branch of cherry blossoms against a shimmering gold background. The artist's use of gold leaf creates a sense of richness and elegance, while the delicate brushstrokes of the blossoms evoke a sense of springtime beauty. This intricate and detailed work exemplifies the exquisite aesthetic sensibilities of the Hasegawa School and the artistry of Japanese screen painting.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The overhanging limbs of a willow with recently sprouted leaves, branches of a cherry tree in full bloom, and the top of a clump of flowering grasses are the only painted motifs in this pair of folding screens. There is much more to be uncovered, however, when we look closely. An invisible breeze moves in from the left, causing the willow branches to reach slightly to the right. The grasses and cherry branches in the right screen, too, are in movement, seemingly lifted up by a wind from below. The missing tree trunks and the hidden base of the clump of grass suggest that we, the viewers, see all of this from some high point, looking down through the branches toward the expanse of gold foil, interrupted only by ambiguous gold forms—created by building up shell-white pigment (gofun) on the paper surface and then covering it in gold—that also appear to move across the surface, as if driven by the wind. Are they clouds' Mist' Or do they represent the shimmering, rippling surface of some body of water far below'