The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Figures with Calligraphy of a Passage from the "Heike Monogatari" ("The Tales of Heike")

Figures with Calligraphy of a Passage from the "Heike Monogatari" ("The Tales of Heike")

1700s
(Japanese, 1716–1783)
Overall: 157.5 x 28.6 cm (62 x 11 1/4 in.); Painting only: 111.3 x 27.1 cm (43 13/16 x 10 11/16 in.)
Location: not on view

Description

A literati painter and haiga poet, Yosa Buson composed both Chinese-style and Japanese-style poems. Here, Buson combined his two figure paintings with calligraphy of text from Heike Monogatari, a great historical romance written around 1240 that describes the rise and fall of the Taira family. The passage records the visits of the Taira courtier Lord Jittei with his sister Matsuyoi, the former empress’s lady-in-waiting. The female figure at the top of the scroll is painted summarily in red-gray and yellow-green line; the male figure, in blue and brown robes and pink flesh.
  • Cleveland Museum of Art, and Sŏn Sŭng-hye. The Lure of Painted Poetry: Japanese and Korean Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 89-90, no. 88
  • Nara National Museum, Japan (2/21-3/29/98); Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo (4/28-6/21/98) "Highlights of Asian Painting from The Cleveland Museum of Art" p 138, cat. no. 90
    The Lure of Painted Poetry: Cross-cultural Text and Image in Korean and Japanese Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 15-August 21, 2011).
    Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 121); July 18 - October 26, 2003.
    Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art. Nara National Museum (organizer) (February 21-March 29, 1998); Suntory Museum of Art (April 28-June 21, 1998).
    Year in Review: 1971. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 28, 1971-February 6, 1972).
  • {{cite web|title=Figures with Calligraphy of a Passage from the "Heike Monogatari" ("The Tales of Heike")|url=false|author=Yosa Buson|year=1700s|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1971.233