The three friends mentioned in the title of this hanging scroll are the pine, bamboo, and plum. As a group, the three plants symbolize longevity and endurance for their ability to thrive in a harsh winter climate; they also serve as metaphors for the gentleman scholar, an ideal figure who pursues cultural activities as an end in themselves.
Ink and light colors on silk satin
81 1/4 x 25 1/8 in. (206.4 x 63.8cm)
Gift of Griffith and Patricia Way, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
2010.41.17
Not currently on view
Resources
Published ReferencesMichiyo, Morioka; Berry, Paul. "Modern Masters of Kyoto: The Transformation of Japanese Painting Traditions," Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1999, p. 94, illus. 12.
The Seattle Art Museum acknowledges that we are located on the ancestral land of the Coast Salish people.
