Sun and Plum Branches
Medium
Album leaf; lacquer on paper
Dimensions
4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. (11.4 x 8.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Accession Number
36.100.124
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate album leaf, created by the renowned Japanese artist Shibata Zeshin during the Edo period (1615–1868), captures the simple beauty of nature through its depiction of sun and plum branches. Measuring just 4½ by 3½ inches, the work belongs to the Metropolitan Museum’s Asian Art collection and exemplifies the intimate scale often favored for personal albums or private viewing in traditional Japanese art. Zeshin’s choice of lacquer on paper is particularly noteworthy, as this medium allowed for luminous effects and fine detail while bridging painting and craft traditions. The compact ...
About the Artist
Shibata Zeshin · 1807–1891
Japanese, 1807–1891