Figures in Landscape

18th century

Japanese, 1729 - 1797

These two lyrical scenes depict the annual event of “pulling pine-saplings,” a tradition dating back to the Nara period (710–794), and which always took place during the first month of the year. On this day, nobility pulled pine-saplings and harvested vegetables as they prayed for a long life, represented by the pine trees, which they would plant in the capital gardens. In this pair of hanging scrolls, the women are plucking the pine-saplings from the ground while the men are harvesting the vegetables.

Itaya Hiromasa, a painter of the Sumiyoshi school, received patronage from the Tokugawa shogunate. Here he rendered the figures in the yamato-e style to best suit this classical subject.

Color on paper and silk

70 1/2 x 20 3/8 in. (179.1 x 51.8 cm)

Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection

48.133.2

Photo: Beth Mann

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Fall and Winter in Japan", Oct. 22, 2002 - Feb. 23, 2003

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, "Legends, Tales, Poetry: Visual Narrative in Japanese Art," Dec. 22, 2012 - Jul. 21, 2013

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Noble Splendor: Art of Japanese Aristocrats," Jul. 28, 2018 - Mar. 3, 2019.

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