Minneapolis Institute of Art

Rooster

Sō Shiseki

Date

late 18th century

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The format and conventions of book design meant that illustrations did not translate directly to paintings, and Edo-period readers were likely aware of the differences. Images in books were not expected to be copied one-to-one; rather, they were adapted to the appropriate format. In this painting, Shiseki works from the established genre of paintings of bird and flowers or plants. In both the illustration and the book, the rooster is paired with the Chinese parasol tree (in Chinese, wutong). The use of color allows Shiseki to demonstrate his understanding of Western-style shading as well as Chinese symbolism. Japan, Asia

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