雪中芭蕉小禽図 (Setchū bashō shōkin zu)|Plantain and Bird in Snow
late 16th century
Medium
Fan-shaped painting mounted on a hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold leaf on paper
Dimensions
Image: 14 9/16 × 20 7/8 in. (37 × 53 cm) Overall with mounting: 50 13/16 × 26 3/16 in. (129 × 66.5 cm) Overall with knobs: 50 13/16 × 28 1/4 in. (129.1 × 71.8 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Muromachi (1392–1573) or Momoyama (1573–1615) period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2020
Accession Number
2020.396.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Plantain and Bird in Snow* (*Setchū bashō shōkin zu*), a delicate fan-shaped painting by Kano Sōshū, master of the renowned Kano school, from the late 16th century. Originally painted on paper with ink, vibrant colors, and shimmering gold leaf, it later mounted as a hanging scroll, transforming an intimate fan into a grand display piece. Measuring about 15 by 21 inches in its image area, this work captures a serene winter moment: broad plantain leaves dusted with snow shelter a small bird, evoking quiet resilience amid nature's chill. The Kano school, dominant in Japanese painting dur...