Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
Late 17th–early 18th century
Medium
Pair of six-fold screens; ink, colors, and gold paint on paper
Dimensions
170.2 × 381 cm (67 1/16 × 150 in.)
Classification
screen
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
29759
Art Historical Context
Behold the majestic *Eight Views of the Xiao and Rivers*, a pair of six-fold screens crafted the Japanese artist Sekkei in the 17th to early 18th century These exquisite byōbu (folding screens), measuring an impressive 170.2 381 cm, unfold like panoramic scrolls, capturing the poetic beauty of China's Xiao and Xiang rivers—a timeless motif in East Asian art. Rendered in ink, vibrant colors, and shimmering gold paint on paper, they evoke misty mountains, serene waters, and fleeting seasonal moments, hallmarks of literati-inspired landscapes. This theme, originating in Song dynasty China, gaine...