Elegant Conversation in Mountains
17th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 25 13/16 × 12 3/16 in. (65.5 × 31 cm) Overall with mounting: 61 11/16 × 16 7/16 in. (156.7 × 41.8 cm) Overall with knobs: 61 11/16 × 18 1/4 in. (156.7 × 46.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Accession Number
36.100.68
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene "Elegant Conversation in Mountains attributed to Tenshō Shūbun, two figures engage in poised dialogue amid towering peaks, captured in a classic hanging scroll format. Dating to the 17th century during Japan's Edo period (16151868), this ink and color on paper work measures 25 13/16 × 12 3/16 inches, designed for intimate display when unrolled. Hanging scrolls like this were prized in Japanese homes and temples, allowing viewers to contemplate nature's majesty and human harmony at leisure. Shūbun, a master of ink landscape painting, exemplifies the refined ink-monochrome traditi...
About the Artist
Tenshō Shūbun · 1388–1488
Japanese, active 1414–before 1463