An eagle on a snow-laden blossoming plum tree
Soga Nichokuan
1568-1615
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1898.475
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Charles Lang Freer collectionJapanJapanese ArtMomoyama period (1573 - 1615)eagleplum blossomtree
About this artwork
An eagle perches on a gnarled branch, with the shape made by its curled claw echoing that of the setting sun hanging in the hazy, ink-streaked atmosphere. As there are no white predatory bird species native to Japan, the artist likely based this composition on a model from China. He has applied darker ink to the claws, beak, and eyes, as if the essence of the raptor’s instincts is distilled into these razor-sharp surfaces.