Image Coming Soon

Sound of Waves (Tosei)

1901

Japanese, 1870 - 1931

In this pair of striking golden screens, a fierce eagle with its wings widely open perches on a rugged rock on the seashore, overpowering the choppy waves below. The visual impact was amplified by the stunning golden background, against which the eagle was depicted in dark ink. The eagle is an auspicious motif in Japan, as the Japanese word for “eagle” (taka) is a homophone with a word that has felicitous meanings, such as “noble.” Kako painted this auspicious picture during the New Year's holiday in 1901.

Ink and color on gold paper

67 5/16 x 144 in. (171 x 366 cm)

Gift of Henry and Mary Ann James

98.45.2

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Flights of Fancy: Natural and Supernatural Images In Japanese Art, Dec. 9, 1998 - Aug. 1, 1999.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing [on view July 16 - Dec. 5, 2021].

Published ReferencesShirahara, Yukiko. "Tsuji Kako and the Modern Spirit," A Community of Collectors, Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 2008, p. 174, illus. fig. 1 (in caption as 98.45).

"Super Bowl art wager modified after B.C. band objects," Associated Press, January 30, 2014, http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/super-bowl-art-wager-modified-after-b-c-band-objects-1.2516973

Boehm, Mike. "Denver, Seattle museums put artworks on the line in Super Bowl wager," LA Times, January 30, 2014, http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-super-bowl-art-20140130,0,7598712.story#axzz2sIBN0bGl

"Denver and Seattle Museums make a Super Bowl wager," Al Jazeera America, January 31, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/live-news/2014/1/denver-and-seattlemuseumsmakeasuperbowlartwager.html

Kennicott, Philip. "A Super Bowl Art Wager: Denver Wins." Washington Post, The Style Blog, January 31, 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/01/31/a-super-bowl-art-wager-denver-wins/

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