Goose and Reeds; Willows in the Moonlight
Maruyama Ōkyo 円山応挙 Japanese
Not on view
A goose, wings half spread, swoops toward the surface of the water in the right-hand screen. The only indications of a shore are tops of spindly reeds bending beneath the wind in the lower right corner and waves cresting close by. On the left screen, willow trees by a river and the moon’s reflection on the surface of the water offer a more quietly lyrical view. In both, the viewpoint is low and pictorial elements are close to the viewer, giving the background space a feeling of great depth. Although they have been handed down as a pair, dates inscribed by Maruyama Ōkyo on each screen are some two decades apart. Ōkyo, founder of the Maruyama-Shijō school, blended Western-style realism with elements from Japanese and Chinese traditions of painting in a manner that made him one of the most popular artists of his day.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.