DRAGONS AND CLOUDS
Dragons in East Asia are creatures of water. Living deep in the oceans, they sometimes emerge from the depths to play a game of mythical kickball. Here, the dragons’ bodies are covered in clouds of steam that rise off of them.
Dragons are symbols of water, so they represent protection against fire—an important function in Japan, where most buildings were traditionally constructed of wood. Like most Japanese folding screens, this would have been used as interior furnishing to partition rooms in traditional houses.
Object Number
F1905.229
Date
1590–1640, Momoyama or Edo period
Artist
Tawaraya Sōtatsu (fl. ca. 1600–1643)
Place of Origin
Japan
Medium
Ink and pink tint on paper
Dimensions
H × W (overall): 171.5 × 374.3 cm
(67 1/2 × 147 3/8 in.)
Credit line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer