Chinese Sage

Art Historical Context

This delicate painting, *Chinese Sage*, attributed to Kano Motonobu and created during Japan’s Edo period (1615–1868), captures a solitary figure engaged in fishing. Rendered in color on paper and measuring just 8¼ by 19¾ inches, the horizontal composition likely formed part of a handscroll or small screen. The subject draws on Chinese literati ideals, portraying the sage as a symbol of quiet withdrawal from worldly affairs—a theme that resonated deeply with Japanese audiences of the time. Kano Motonobu belonged to the influential Kano school, which served as official painters to the Tokugawa...