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 playful...