Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This composition of flowers shown in a seasonal progression from spring to winter, paired with an auspicious motif of cranes, promotes longevity. The brilliant colors, strong ink outlines, gold-leaf background, and profusion of pictorial elements are typical of the decorative formula established by Kano Motonobu (1476–1559), founder of the Kano school of painting, while the boldness is reminiscent of his grandson, the prolific Kano Eitoku (1543–1590). The exaggerated dimensions of the pine and cedar trees, the attempt to create space for projecting branches in the crowded composition, and the depiction of brushwood hedges in high relief suggest that the work dates to the late sixteenth century. In their elegant grandeur, these screens reflect the lavish taste that prevailed in the mansions and temples of the capital during the period.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Birds and Flowers of the Four SeasonsBirds and Flowers of the Four SeasonsBirds and Flowers of the Four SeasonsBirds and Flowers of the Four SeasonsBirds and Flowers of the Four Seasons

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.