Landscape
17th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on paper
Dimensions
Image: 10 1/2 × 17 13/16 in. (26.7 × 45.2 cm) Overall with mounting: 40 11/16 × 21 1/4 in. (103.4 × 53.9 cm) Overall with knobs: 40 11/16 × 23 1/8 in. (103.4 × 58.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd, 1959
Accession Number
59.80
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Landscape* by Sōami, a 17th-century hanging scroll in ink on paper, transports viewers to the misty hills and undulating terrain of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868). Created during a time of relative peace and cultural flourishing, the work embodies the Japanese tradition of suibokuga, or ink monochrome painting, where subtle brushstrokes evoke vast natural expans with remarkable economy. Sōami, known for his poetic mastery of, captures the essence of rugged hills rising through veils of mist, inviting contemplation of nature's impermanence—a core theme in Zen-influenced art. The ...