Swallow's Song in Spring Breeze Possibly 1852 - 1853
coloured-pencil, silk, watercolor, hanging-scroll, ink
coloured-pencil
water colours
silk
asian-art
landscape
ukiyo-e
japan
figuration
watercolor
hanging-scroll
ink
coloured pencil
orientalism
japonisme
calligraphy
"Swallow's Song in Spring Breeze" is a hanging scroll by Japanese artist Tsubaki Chinzan, created sometime between 1852 and 1853. The painting depicts a delicate branch of flowering plum blossoms, a popular motif in East Asian art, with a single swallow perched on its thin branches. Executed in the *kanga* style, a type of Japanese hanging scroll, the artwork showcases Chinzan's mastery of brushwork and his ability to capture the fleeting beauty of nature. The delicate lines and soft washes of color give the viewer a sense of the gentle spring breeze and the graceful flight of the swallow.
Comments
Tsubaki Chinzan overcame tremendous adversity to become one of the leading Chinese-style painters in Japan in the 1800s. His father died when he was only seven, leaving him and his mother destitute. Perhaps because of their sordid living conditions, he suffered from a pulmonary disease from a young age. Nevertheless, he eventually earned the minor military rank of spear bearer and was highly skilled in martial arts. Only after the low wages of this official rank forced him to seek additional income did he become a professional artist. He studied with the renowned painter Watanabe Kazan (1793–1841), who integrated elements of Western realism into his work. Here, Chinzan’s close attention to natural detail probably reflects that influence. The light, lyrical impression created by the “boneless” method (painting forms with only ink and color washes instead of outlines) and lush color tonalities, however, reflects Chinzan's own artistic sense and consummate skill with the brush.
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