Monkeys

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, *Monkeys* is a early 19th-century hanging scroll by Japanese artist Mori Yūsen Created during Japan's Edo period (1603–1868), this ink and color on silk painting measures 39 3/8 x 12 1/8 inches, the refined traditions of literati and professional painting schools. Hanging scrolls like this were cherished in homes and temples, unrolled for special occasions to immerse viewers in their intimate, vertical compositions. Mori Yūsen skillfully captures the lively essence of monkeys, a popular motif in Japanese art symbolizing playfulness, cleverness, and the untamed spirit of nature. Using delicate ink washes for fur texture and vibrant colors for expressive faces, the work showcases virtuoso brushwork typical of animal painters. Silk's smooth surface enhances the fluidity of lines, allowing subtle gradations that bring the primates to life with mischievous charm. This Fletcher Fund acquisition from 1937 highlights the cultural fascination with fauna in Edo-era art, where monkeys often evoked folklore tales or served as metaphors for human folly. A whimsical window into Japan's artistic heritage, *Monkeys* invites visitors to ponder the joyful bond between artist and nature.