Orchid
Just a single sprig of pink orchid blossoms stands out from the spray of green leaves, twisting in the gentle breeze. The orchid, symbol of loyalty and unappreciated virtue, was a favorite theme of East Asian literati painters through the ages.
Kaigan Jōkō spent his early years as a priest at Shōfukuji 聖福寺, an Ōbaku Zen temple in his native Nagasaki. While there he also studied painting under Kumashiro Yūhi 熊代熊斐 (1712–1773), one of the most prominent Japanese students of the Chinese émigré painter Shen Quan (Shen Nanpin; 1682–1760), who had spent several years in Nagasaki in the early 1730s. Yūhi nurtured numerous students in Nagasaki, giving rise to a network of painters that would come to be known as the Nanpin school or Nagasaki school. Yūhi’s two top disciples, Kaigan Jōkō (better known by his sobriquet Kakutei, as used here) and Sō Shiseki 宋紫石 (1715–1786) are credited with transmitting the school’s colorful, naturalistic style of bird-and-flower painting to the cities of Kyoto and Edo, respectively.
For many years, the authenticity of this painting was disputed because the seals could not be verified by other accepted examples. In recent years, however, with the publication of numerous examples in Japanese temple, museum and private collections, Kakutei’s use a wide variety of seals, including these, has been confirmed.
Kaigan Jōkō spent his early years as a priest at Shōfukuji 聖福寺, an Ōbaku Zen temple in his native Nagasaki. While there he also studied painting under Kumashiro Yūhi 熊代熊斐 (1712–1773), one of the most prominent Japanese students of the Chinese émigré painter Shen Quan (Shen Nanpin; 1682–1760), who had spent several years in Nagasaki in the early 1730s. Yūhi nurtured numerous students in Nagasaki, giving rise to a network of painters that would come to be known as the Nanpin school or Nagasaki school. Yūhi’s two top disciples, Kaigan Jōkō (better known by his sobriquet Kakutei, as used here) and Sō Shiseki 宋紫石 (1715–1786) are credited with transmitting the school’s colorful, naturalistic style of bird-and-flower painting to the cities of Kyoto and Edo, respectively.
For many years, the authenticity of this painting was disputed because the seals could not be verified by other accepted examples. In recent years, however, with the publication of numerous examples in Japanese temple, museum and private collections, Kakutei’s use a wide variety of seals, including these, has been confirmed.
Artwork Details
- 鶴亭 (海眼浄光)筆 蘭図
- Title: Orchid
- Artist: Kakutei (Kaigan Jōkō) (Japanese, 1722–1785)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: mid-18th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
- Dimensions: 29 1/4 x 14 1/2 in. (74.3 x 36.8 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
- Object Number: 36.100.34
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Itō Jakuchū (Japanese, 1716–1800)
1755
Kaihō Yūsetsu (Japanese, 1598–1677)
mid-17th century
Kano Sansetsu (Japanese, 1590–1651)
1646
Attributed to Leng Mei (Chinese, active 1677–1742)
early 18th century
Kano Tan'yū (Japanese, 1602–1674)
mid-17th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.