River Landscape with a Seated Figure in Foreground

Object Details

• Description

  Depicting a river landscape, with a scholar seated on rocks in the foreground. In the background is a group of farm buildings with one figure and there are unidentifiable birds in the sky. Three seals, no labels or inscriptions. Mounted in a folder.

• Marks

  Three seals.

• Provenance

  Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408) [1]

  To 1905

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1905 [2]

  From 1905 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1905 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 9, A. Yonemura, exhibition label text, "Luminous Shadows," 1982: "The seal, "Tenzan" in the lower right-hand corner of this Chinese landscape painting identifies it as having once been in the collection of the third Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu (1358-1408). The prestigious collection of Chinese paintings and works of art belonging to the Ashikaga shoguns was begun in the mid-14th century...The Ashikaga Collection was not, however, a fixed entity. Additions were made as newly imported works became available, and paintings were occasionally transferred to vassals who shared the shoguns' interest in Chinese art. The Gyomotsu, the treasures from the Ashikaga collection, were dispersed upon the fall of the Ashikaga shoguns during the 16th century, but retained their prestige as they passed into the possession of later collectors, including tea ceremony devotees of the 17th century."

  [2] See Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 504, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Zen, Tea, and Chinese Art in Medieval Japan (December 13, 2014 to June 14, 2015)

  The Idea of China in Japan: The Tea Ceremony in Japan (December 19, 1999 to June 11, 2000)

  Studies in Connoisseurship 1923-1983 (September 23, 1983 to March 1, 1984)

  Luminous Shadows (April 1, 1982 to June 21, 1982)

  Chinese Album Leaves and Lacquer (February 22, 1971 to November 22, 1971)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408)

  Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Matsuki, Bunkio, Ashikaga, Yoshimitsu

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Landscapes, Art, Farms, Chinese Art, Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368), Rivers

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings