六祖・芦雁・叭々鳥図|Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, with Geese and Myna
first half 17th century
Medium
Set of three hanging scrolls; ink on paper
Dimensions
Image (each): 42 3/8 × 18 1/4 in. (107.6 × 46.4 cm) Overall with mounting (each): 76 1/4 × 21 in. (193.7 × 53.3 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, 2021
Accession Number
2021.398.14a–c
Art Historical Context
In the serene tradition of Japanese ink painting, Unkokuōeki's *Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, withese and Myna* (first half of the th century) captivates with its minimalist elegance. This set of three scrolls, rendered in delicate ink on paper, depicts revered Chinese Zen master Huineng—founder of the Southern School of Zen—alongside geese and a myna bird. Each scroll measures about 42 by 18 inches, designed to unfurl dramatically in temple or scholarly spaces during the Edo period (1615–1868), evoking contemplation and harmony with nature. Huineng, a pivotal figure in Zen Buddhism tr...
About the Artist
Unkoku Tōeki 雲谷等益 (Japanese) · 1591 –1644
Japanese, 1591–1644