Wang Ziyou in Boat on a Snowy Night c. 1683

Curator: This is Kano Yasunobu's Wang Ziyou in Boat on a Snowy Night, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It's rendered with ink and color on paper, a delicate composition measuring about 27 by 43 centimeters. What are your first thoughts? Editor: Serene, almost melancholic. The pale hues and sparse strokes evoke a sense of quiet isolation. It feels like a haiku put to paper. Curator: Kano Yasunobu, born in 1614, was a prominent figure in the Kano school of painting, known for its emphasis on Chinese themes and techniques. This work captures the essence of a classic Chinese anecdote, imbued with literati ideals. Editor: I like that it is not overly sentimental. The figures in the boat seem caught between purpose and resignation, adrift in a landscape that’s both beautiful and unforgiving. Curator: I think this perfectly encapsulates the artist's desire to capture the mood of quiet reflection during a snowy evening. Editor: Absolutely. It's a testament to the power of suggestion, how much can be conveyed with so little, inviting contemplation on our own journeys. Curator: A lovely way to think about how we encounter the world.