Immortal Poet
17th century
Medium
Unmounted shikisi leaf; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
7 1/4 × 6 1/2 in. (18.4 × 16.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
14.140.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Immortal Poet** by Kano Shōun, a masterful 17th-century work from Japan's Edo period (16151868), captures the allure of poetry in a compact, intimate format. Created on an unmounted *shikishi* leafsquare silk sheets traditionally used for poetry inscriptions or album leaves—this painting measures just 7¼ × 6½ inches, inviting close contemplation. Shōun, a prominent member of the Kano school, Japan's leading professional painting lineage, employed ink and subtle colors to evoke elegance and vitality, hallmarks of the school's bold, decorative style favored by samurai elites and shoguns. The ...
About the Artist
Kano Shōun (Japanese) · 1637 –1702
1637–1702