Landscapes in Summer and Winter
18th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on silk
Dimensions
38 1/2 × 18 1/4 in. (97.8 × 46.4 cm) Overall with mounting: 68 1/4 × 24 5/8 in. (173.4 × 62.5 cm) Overall with knobs: 68 1/4 × 27 in. (173.4 × 68.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1964
Accession Number
64.55.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Ike Taiga's *Landscapes in Summer and Winter*, an exquisite pair of hanging scrolls from 18th-century Japan during the Edo period (161–1868), captures the poetic contrast of nature's seasonal transformations. Created in ink on silk, these works exemplify Taiga's mastery of *nanga* (Southern School) painting, a literati style inspired by Chinese traditions but infused with Japanese sensibility. Towering mountains dominate the compositions, evoking the sublime beauty and transience of the natural world—a theme central to East Asian art. The hanging scroll format, measuring about 38½ × 18¼ inche...