Mandarin ducks

Maker(s)
Artist: Unkoku Toetsu (active late 17th-early 18th century)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, late 17th-early 18th century
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 111.3 x 43 cm (43 13/16 x 16 15/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Gift of Anne Hollis Reese
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1998.310
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Hanging scroll

Keywords
duck, Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, kakemono, tree
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Mandarin ducks, which remain with one mate for life, are symbols of marital accord. A pair of mandarin ducks swimming on a nearly frozen surface often represents the twelfth month of the lunar year. This skillfully rendered work features the strong delineation and rendering of three-dimensional form that was introduced into Japanese painting from China. The artist was a descendant of the Unkoku school, which traced its artistic lineage to Sesshu (1420-1506), who was one of a few artists able to travel to China to study painting. The Unkoku school flourished in Yamaguchi, where Sesshu lived for a time.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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