The Four Accomplishments

Object Details

• Artist

  Kaiho Yusho (1533-1615)

• School/Tradition

  Kano

• Label

  The Chinese theme of The Four Accomplishments of the scholarly gentleman became a popular subject of Japanese painting from the sixteenth century on. Painting and the game of go, two of the arts to be mastered by the ideal gentleman, are illustrated on the right-hand screen, while the left-hand screen shows calligraphy and musical performance on a stringed instrument, the Chinese qin or the Japanese koto. A tranquil, beautiful natural setting surrounds the scholars as they enjoy the company of kindred minds and the pleasures of their common interests. The idea of The Four Accomplishments must have appealed especially to Japanese warriors and nobles, who were the most important patrons of the arts in the late sixteenth century, when this pair of screens was painted. Mastery of several arts, including calligraphy, poetry, and music, had been a requirement of life in the Japanese imperial court since the Heian period (794-1185), and these ideals had been assimilated by the ascendant warrior class beginning in the late twelfth century.

  This painting has been attributed traditionally to Kano Eitoku (1543-1590), the leading artist of the Kano school during the Momoyama period (1573-1615). Artists of the Kano school were renowned for their mastery of subjects and techniques derived from Chinese ink painting, and also for their skills in producing large-scale paintings in full color and gold for architectural projects.

• Provenance

  By 1957-1960

  Mitsuji Miura, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  By 1961-1963

  N. V. Hammer, Inc., New York, method of acquisition unknown [2]

  From 1963

  The Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from N. V. Hammer, Inc., New York [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See object file for translation of Certificate of Exhibition Loan Number 33-20, from the Tokyo Museum to Mitsuji Miura, for the period July 1, 1957 to June 30, 1960. The Tokyo Museum requested an extension of the loan, although it is unclear if the extension was granted, or if the object was obtained by N. V. Hammer after June 1960.

  [2] See object file for copy of Freer Gallery of Art vault card V99.61, dated July 20, 1961, showing that Nathan V. Hammer left the object with the Freer for examination. Nathan Vadim Hammer (1917-1980) was the owner of N.V. Hammer, Inc. Far Eastern Art in New York City. The son of Russian-Polish immigrants, he joined his father in the family business, United Metal Box Co., which made kitchen and bath cabinetry for higher-end hotels and apartment buildings. In 1942, the company received its first U. S. federal contract for a 1.5 million ammunition boxes. Nathan served as a Vice President for the company for many years, and about 1975 he and his second wife, Marion (Ariowitsch) Hammer, relocated to Switzerland, where Marion was born. After Nathan’s death, Marion would continue to sell art and antiquities in her own name.

  [3] See object file for copy of N. V. Hammer, Inc. invoice to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated August 29, 1963, and marked approved by the Secretary on December 13, 1961.

  Research updated July 14, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Mind Over Matter: Zen in Medieval Japan (March 5, 2022 - July 24, 2022)

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

  Japanese Screens (February 11, 1983 to July 19, 1988)

  Japanese Art (July 1, 1974 to April 10, 1978)

  Japanese Art, Galleries 3, 4, and 5 (January 1, 1963 to September 16, 1970)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Mitsuji Miura

  N.V. Hammer, Inc.

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1500s, 1600s

• Name

  Miura, Mitsuji, N.V. Hammer, Inc.

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Momoyama period (1573 - 1615), Japanese Art, The four accomplishments

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings