Birds in Landscape [left of a pair] by Kano Naonobu

Birds in Landscape [left of a pair] c. 17th century

ink, color-on-paper

toned paper

water colours

ink painting

japan

possibly oil pastel

handmade artwork painting

ink

color-on-paper

coffee painting

underpainting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

"Birds in Landscape [left of a pair]," a six-panel screen by Kano Naonobu, a prominent figure in the Kano school of Japanese painting, depicts a winter scene with birds perched on snow-laden branches. This 17th-century work exemplifies Naonobu’s masterful brushwork and elegant depiction of nature. The screen's pale hues and delicate details create a serene and contemplative atmosphere. The work is a stunning example of the "Kano" school, renowned for its realistic depictions of nature. The screen is a valuable addition to the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Although these paintings now exist as a pair of folding screens, this is not how Kano Naonobu designed them. He originally designed them as sliding wall panels. One of the ways you can tell is by looking closely at the far left panel of the right screen, where at the left edge you can see a telltale round repair in the paper surface. This was where one of the door pulls originally was. In that original format—essentially movable, floor-to-ceiling murals—they would have surrounded the room’s occupants, giving them the sense of being immersed in nature.