松村呉春筆 渓山探薬図|Herb Gatherer in the Mountains
ca. after 1780
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
Image: 44 1/8 × 16 1/8 in. (112.1 × 41 cm) Overall with mounting: 78 7/8 × 21 5/8 in. (200.3 × 54.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2022
Accession Number
2022.432.17
Art Historical Context
Matsumura Goshun's *Herb Gatherer in the* (ca. after 1780) is a captivating hanging scroll from Japan's Edo period (16151868), rendered in delicate ink and light color on silk. Measuring nearly 4 feet in height when mounted, this work depicts a solitary figure traversing misty mountain streams in search of medicinal herbs—a timeless motif evoking harmony with nature and the pursuit of healing or enlightenment. The scroll's vertical format invites viewers to unroll and contemplate it during special occasions, a cherished tradition in Japanese homes and temples. Goshun (1752–1811), a master of ...
About the Artist
Matsumura Goshun 松村呉春 (Japanese) · 1752 –1811
Japanese, 1752–1811