Landscape with Temple c. 17th century

hanging-scroll, ink, color-on-paper

amateur sketch

toned paper

light pencil work

quirky sketch

pencil sketch

incomplete sketchy

hanging-scroll

ink

color-on-paper

detailed observational sketch

quick sketch

fantasy sketch

watercolor

This 17th-century ink-and-color painting by Kano Sansetsu showcases a serene landscape scene. "Landscape with Temple" depicts a temple nestled amidst a grove of pine trees, with majestic mountains rising in the background. The artist’s masterful use of light and shadow creates a sense of depth and tranquility, evoking a peaceful atmosphere. Sansetsu’s work is known for its meticulous attention to detail, evident in the textured brushstrokes used to render the mountain ranges, trees, and the temple’s architecture. His captivating depiction of nature highlights the influence of the "literati painting" style, a popular genre in China and Japan that emphasized simplicity and the beauty of the natural world. The artwork’s vertical format adds to its serene feel and the overall composition speaks to the importance of harmony between humanity and nature.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Between two mountains we can see the entrance to a countryside villa tucked into a grove of pine trees. The dark, distant peak and subtle glow around the architectural structures suggest a nighttime scene. At the beginning of the 1600s, the main branch of the Kano house relocated to the new capital, Edo (present-day Tokyo), and received the patronage of the new military rulers, the Tokugawa. One branch of the Kano remained in Kyoto and received commissions from aristocratic families and temples in the old capital. This branch, known as the Kyōgano-ke, or “Kyoto Kano house,” was led first by Sanraku and his adopted son, Sansetsu, who painted this hanging scroll.