Bull and Rider
early 17th-late 19th century
Herder boys are often seen herding buffaloes in Chinese and Japanese paintings, but in this painting, the boy riding a galloping bull is chasing a bat. The addition of the bat alters the painting’s meaning. The Chinese word for “bat” is a homophone with the word for “fortune,” and such a visual pun was adapted by the Japanese. Instead of searching for enlightenment as in Chan/Zen paintings, the boy here is chasing fortune.
Hanging scroll: Ink on paper
Image: 36 3/8 × 11 in. (92.4 × 27.9 cm)
Overall: 64 1/4 × 11 7/8 in. (163.2 × 30.2 cm); with knobs: 64 1/4 × 13 1/2 in. (163.2 × 34.3 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
34.152
Photo: Spike Mafford