Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Seattle Art Museum (SAM)
menu
Skip Navigation Linksvisit

Rain Clearing

Photo: Eduardo Calderon

Rain Clearing

early 1930's

Konoshima Okoku

Japanese, 1877 - 1938

This scene of egrets amongst willows recalls a well-known painting by Matsumura Goshun (1752-1783), the founder of the Shijô school. Ôkoku achieved great decorative impact through his choice of color, the graceful white curves of the birds preening their feathers and arcing in flight through the sultry green grove of willows refreshed by an afternoon shower. Even based on Ôkoku's extensive drawings from life, the compositional polish of his finished works did not take away from the lifelike aspect of the animals he was popular for painting.
Ink and light colors on silk
51 1/8 x 27 3/4 in. (129.9 x 70.5cm)
Gift of Griffith and Patricia Way, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
2010.41.60
Photo: Eduardo Calderon
location
Not currently on view

Resources

Published ReferencesMorioka, Michiyo; Berry, Paul. "Modern Masters of Kyoto: The Transformation of Japanese Painting Traditions," Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1999, p. 210, illus. 59.

Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Learn more about Equity at SAM