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Tadaaki Demonstrating his Expertise
Tadaaki Demonstrating his Expertise

Tadaaki Demonstrating his Expertise

Date1899
Label TextIn this exquisite painting inspired by yamatoe, an expression of refined court culture devoted to native themes, Kôkyô depicts a parable about excelling in one's chosen profession. Fujiwara no Michinaga (966-1027), a powerful Heian-period courtier, is attended by four men, each of whom was renowned for a great talent. The diviner Haruaki, in the white garment, has determined that a melon given to Michinaga is poisonous. As two ladies look on from behind a screen, the court physician Tadaaki prepares to pierce the melon with two needles, which will result in the discovery of a snake inside the melon.
Object number2010.41.16
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Noble Splendor: Art of Japanese Aristocrats," Jul. 28, 2018 - Mar. 3, 2019Published ReferencesMichiyo, Morioka; Berry, Paul. "Modern Masters of Kyoto: The Transformation of Japanese Painting Traditions," Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1999, p. 104, illus. 15.
Credit LineGift of Griffith and Patricia Way, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
Dimensions80 3/4 x 22 3/4 in. (205.1 x 57.8 cm)
MediumInk, gold wash and colors on beige-toned silk
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