Minneapolis Institute of Art

Clouds and Dew

Ryū Kōbi

Date

second half 18th century

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

“Yellow clouds become snow White dew changes to frost” 雲黄化雪 露白為霜 Ryū Kōbi, also known as Tatsu Sōro or Tatsu Kimiyoshi, was a pupil of Ogyū Sorai (1666–1728), a poet and one of the most influential Confucian scholars of the Edo period. For 18 years from 1756, Kōbi held the post of scholar for the Hikone domain. With each line bookended by a character containing the radical for “rain” 雨, this enigmatic couplet has a pleasing symmetry. By making the character shiro 白 (“white”) smaller than the others, Kōbi introduces an element of variation that prevents composition of the poem from being rigid. The rhythmic thickening and thinning of the strokes, and the sticky texture of the ink, in which fine air bubbles remain trapped, provide another layer of interest. Japan, Asia

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