Cleveland Museum of Art

Peonies

Tatebayashi Kagei

Date

mid 1700s

Medium

hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

Department

Japanese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A proliferation of white tree peonies dominates this composition. Behind them are tall, feathery-topped susuki grasses and leafy deciduous trees. Tatebayashi Kagei restricted his palette to ink with red and white color, along with sparing use of green in the peony leaves and the blades of grass. He made generous use of the “dripping-in” ( tarashikomi ) technique, layering pooled ink and color, in the peony leaves. The areas left in reserve create the impression of insect-eaten or late season foliage. In 1738, Kagei received a copy made by Ogata Kōrin of a fan painting by Tawaraya Sōtatsu from Kōrin's brother Ogata Kenzan, so some think he trained with Kenzan in Edo (present-day Tokyo).

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