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The Master Poets

National Museum of Asian Art

Object Details

Artist
Sakai Hoitsu 酒井抱一 (1761-1828)
Label
Poetry composition was so highly valued in the court of the Heian period (794-1185) that imperial requests to select outstanding poets from ancient to modern times were issued as early as the tenth century. The Thirty-six Immortal Poets (Sanju rokkasen) were first selected in the eleventh century. Since the immortal poets had been deceased for generations, imaginary portraits were painted in sequences on handscrolls, wooden panels hung in temples, fans, screens, and sets of game cards. Here, Sakai Hoitsu emulated a composition by the artist Ogata Korin (1658-1716), whose works he studied and admired, by painting thirty-five of the thirty-six immortal poets as if they had all gathered for a party or contest to compose poetry. Hoitsu's playful and humorous poets include noble men and women, Buddhist monks, and the highest-ranking poet, the imperial princess Saigu no Nyo go, who is hidden behind the curtain at the top of the scroll.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Games, Contests and Artful Play in Japan (March 19 to October 23, 2005)
Portraiture from Japan (July 1, 1983 to April 5, 1984)
Special Exhibition—Japanese Art (October 16, 1963 to August 18, 1967)
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
1761-1828
Period
Edo period
Accession Number
F1960.31
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Painting
Medium
Ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
H x W (image): 137 × 68.1 cm (53 15/16 × 26 13/16 in)
Origin
Japan
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Topic
portrait
Edo period (1615 - 1868)
poet
Daoist Immortals
Japan
kakemono
Japanese Art
Record ID
fsg_F1960.31
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye326645b14-e749-47c1-a3c6-f410c4e8193e

Related Content

  • Poetry

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