Peony and Swallow 1854

Tsubaki Chinzan painted this hanging scroll in 19th century Japan, using ink and color on silk. Its focus is on the natural world, depicting a peony and a swallow on a vertical plane. Paintings of flowers and birds, known as kachōga, were especially popular in Japan during this period. Often these images alluded to classical literature and poetry, expressing the painter’s literary sensibilities and his deep understanding of the natural world. This was at a time when artists in Japan were exploring their individual artistic styles. Chinzan in particular was admired for his literati painting style, in which the artist cultivated his individual self-expression. Art historians look at the painting style and the artist’s biography. But we also examine the cultural context in which these works were made, considering the influence of poetic and artistic traditions, as well as the social standing of the artist, to fully understand the painting's significance.