Scenes from Essays in Idleness

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Scenes from Essays in Idleness as painting (Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · late 1700s–early 1800s).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

Matsumura Goshun inscribed passages from Buddhist monk Yoshida Kenkō’s (1283–1350) well-known collection of anecdotes, Essays in Idleness , across the top of each of the twelve panels of this pair of screens. Goshun illustrated the episodes with his vision of the figures who feature in them.

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected

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A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this painting as Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink and color on paper and credits Matsumura Goshun (Japanese, 1752–1811).

The museum's collection notes: Matsumura Goshun inscribed passages from Buddhist monk Yoshida Kenkō’s (1283–1350) well-known collection of anecdotes, Essays in Idleness , across the top of each of the twelve panels of this pair of screens. Goshun illustrated the episodes with his vision of the figures who feature in them. The texts cascade down from right to left, forming unique compositional relationships with the images below.

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

The Cleveland Museum of ArtScenes from Essays in Idleness

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