Autumn Grasses in Moonlight

Shibata Zeshin Japanese

Not on view

In Japan, gazing at the moon and listening to the sounds of insects have long been tranquil ways to spend an autumn evening. Seen from a low vantage point, the full moon illuminates the unseen world in a tangle of autumn grasses, where various types of crickets are highlighted with shiny lacquer pigment. The silver background further enriches the dreamlike atmosphere. This small screen is of a type used at tea gatherings.

#8910. Autumn Grasses in Moonlight

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Autumn Grasses in Moonlight, Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891), Two-panel folding screen; ink, lacquer, silver, and silver leaf on paper, Japan

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Autumn Grasses in Moonlight, Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891), Two-panel folding screen; ink, lacquer, silver, and silver leaf on paper, Japan
Autumn Grasses in Moonlight, Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891), Two-panel folding screen; ink, lacquer, silver, and silver leaf on paper, Japan
Autumn Grasses in Moonlight, Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891), Two-panel folding screen; ink, lacquer, silver, and silver leaf on paper, Japan

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