Secluded Hermitage
In this elongated vertical ink landscape, two small thatched-roof buildings, rendered in reserve and in shades of light gray, stand out amid the dark, foreboding mountains. The trees right behind the buildings are paler in tone, as if to suggest the sun is still hitting just that area. In the foreground, the towering trunks of monumental pine trees twist upwards, their foliage suggested by areas of dark wash rather than individual brushstrokes. The roof of another structure can be made out in the left center of the scene. The artist, Hirai Baisen, has created a moody, expressionist experiment in ink tones.
Born in Kyoto, from an early age Hirai Baisen was interested in a career in art, but did not apprentice himself to any of the master painters working in the city. An important turning point in his self-education as an artist was a visit to China in 1913. After that, he often created scenery he had experienced there, or works evocative of the continent. His painting style is usually associated with that of Maeda Seison (1885–1977) in its use of interesting perspectival views and very wet brushwork. By the mid-1920s, works by Baisen and Seison were considered representative of the new trends in Nihonga. From 1907 to 1931 his works were regularly selected for the government sponsored Bunten exhibitions. Yet, despite this promising start, his work fell out of favor and was neglected. He seems to have been a victim, like so many others, of the conservative tendencies of the later Bunten exhibitions of Nihonga. Only in recent years, as museums in Japan and the West start to reconsider art of the Taisho and early Shōwa period, is he getting renewed attention.
Born in Kyoto, from an early age Hirai Baisen was interested in a career in art, but did not apprentice himself to any of the master painters working in the city. An important turning point in his self-education as an artist was a visit to China in 1913. After that, he often created scenery he had experienced there, or works evocative of the continent. His painting style is usually associated with that of Maeda Seison (1885–1977) in its use of interesting perspectival views and very wet brushwork. By the mid-1920s, works by Baisen and Seison were considered representative of the new trends in Nihonga. From 1907 to 1931 his works were regularly selected for the government sponsored Bunten exhibitions. Yet, despite this promising start, his work fell out of favor and was neglected. He seems to have been a victim, like so many others, of the conservative tendencies of the later Bunten exhibitions of Nihonga. Only in recent years, as museums in Japan and the West start to reconsider art of the Taisho and early Shōwa period, is he getting renewed attention.
Artwork Details
- 平井楳仙筆 『幽居』
- Title: Secluded Hermitage
- Artist: Hirai Baisen 平井楳仙 (Japanese, 1889–1969)
- Period: Taishō period (1912–26)
- Date: mid-1910s
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 52 7/8 × 12 in. (134.3 × 30.5 cm)
Overall with mounting: 78 3/4 × 16 1/2 in. (200 × 41.9 cm)
Overall with knobs: 78 3/4 × 18 3/4 in. (200 × 47.6 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2022
- Object Number: 2022.432.40
- 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.
Unidentified artist
Zhou Wenju
early 20th century
Yi Yong-u (artist name: Mungno)
probably 1940s
Inoue Yūichi
1966
Shinoda Tōkō
1982
Shinoda Tōkō
1984
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 complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.