Herb Gatherer in the Mountains
Go Shun (Matsumura Gekkei) Japanese
Not on view
A gray-bearded man rides his horse on a rocky mountain path alongside a stream, passing a bed of fallen red leaves and a bare tree draped with ivy. He is on a quest for the herb of immortality.
The eldest son of an affluent family of mint officials in Kyoto, Go Shun began his career as a painter and haiku poet under the guidance of the renowned practitioner Yosa Buson (1716–1783)—whose stylistic influence is particularly evident in this example. Go Shun emerged as a prominent artist in his own right, founding the influential Shijō school in Kyoto. When writing Japanese poetry or painting Japanese-style compositions, he worked under the name Matsumura Gekkei.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.