Three Raccoon Dogs

From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record

Mori Sosen was celebrated for his depictions of monkeys, but he also excelled at capturing the character of other animals. This painting shows a group of three raccoon dogs (tanuki). The naturalistic posing—one scratching itself, seemingly listening; one directly staring at the viewer; and the third open-mouthed with its tongue extended—illuminates Sosen’s in-person observations of these wild animals. This may be an interpretation of the Chinese proverb typically illustrated with gesturing monkeys: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” Japan, Asia