Sparrows in Autumn
Dateca.1905
Label TextTakeuchi Seiho emerged in the late Meiji period as Kyoto’s most renowned nihonga painter. Proficient in a variety of styles and techniques, Seiho was particularly known for his depictions of animals, insects, fish and birds. This pair of screen paintings reveals why: Seiho’s creatures seem to be vividly rendered with a minimum of effort. His sparrows appear virtually alive with energy so that one can almost sense the beating of their hearts beneath their feathers. The liveliness of the left screen is masterfully contrasted on the right with a scene evoking autumnal melancholy. A solitary bush warbler, a bird associated with the ebb of autumn, perches forlornly beneath a gnarled tree trunk.
Object number2009.70.6.1
Photo CreditPhoto by: Eduardo Calderón
Published ReferencesMichiyo, Morioka; Berry, Paul. "Modern Masters of Kyoto: The Transformation of Japanese Painting Traditions," Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1999, p. 134, illus. 25.Credit LineGift of Griffith and Patricia Way, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
Dimensions53 5/8 x 101 1/4 in. (136.2 x 257.2 cm)
MediumPair of six-panel screens: ink and light color on paper
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