Untitled (Mountains) 

Ike no Taiga made this ink drawing of mountains in 18th century Japan. It's easy to see this artwork as a simple landscape, but we must consider the wider social context. In Taiga's Japan, the Tokugawa shogunate enforced a rigid social hierarchy and isolationist policies, yet a vibrant urban culture was emerging. Intellectuals looked to Chinese models for inspiration. Taiga, who had a humble background, took up painting in the Chinese style as a means of upward mobility. Literati painting allowed artists to express their individuality through calligraphic brushwork and references to classical literature. In this context, the mountains are not just mountains. They are also a projection of the artist's inner world and a subtle commentary on the social structures of his time. To fully appreciate this work, we can research the social history of art in Edo period Japan, exploring the relationship between artistic expression and social constraints.