Chinese Children Playing with an Elephant [right of a pair] late 18th-mid 19th century

Nagasawa Rosetsu made this ink on paper artwork, Chinese Children Playing with an Elephant, sometime in the late 18th century. Rosetsu was a member of the Maruyama school of Japanese painting, a movement that embraced realism and integrated elements of Western art. This six-panel screen depicts a group of children engaged in playful interaction with an elephant. Rosetsu's choice of subject matter may reflect the growing interest in exotic animals and foreign cultures during the Edo period in Japan. Elephants, though rare, were occasionally brought to Japan as gifts from other countries, becoming objects of public curiosity. The painting also presents an intriguing commentary on social structures. The children, seemingly from various social classes, are united in their fascination with the animal. The elephant becomes a symbol of foreignness, around which the artist subtly comments on Japanese society. To fully appreciate this work, we can consult historical records, travelogues, and studies of Edo-period Japanese culture, which provide valuable context for understanding the painting's social and institutional significance.