Minneapolis Institute of Art

Grapevine and Squirrels

Japan

Date

18th–19th century

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink on silk

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Chinese monk artist Tzu-wen Jih-kuan first popularized ink monochrome paintings of grapes during the 13th century. The twisting vines, curling tendrils and round, plump grapes provided ample opportunity for expressive brush play. They may also have been painting to express the scholar-artist's fondness for wine. The combination of squirrels and grapevines, as seen here, is actually a rebus, or word pun. In Korean, the word for squirrel sounds like pine, and the word for grape sounds like peach. Since pines and peaches are longstanding symbols of long life in China and Korea, squirrels and grapes, when pronounced, is a playful wish for continued good health. Japan, Asia

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.