Appreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four Accomplishments

Appreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four Accomplishments

Kano School

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

These sliding-door panels, which originally ornamented one wall of an abbot’s quarters at Ryōanji in Kyoto, celebrate the life of the literati. The central theme is the appreciation of a painting, one of the Four Accomplishments. The inclusion of what appears to be an imaginary portrait of the Tang-dynasty poet Li Bo (shown at the left as a tipsy old man supported by two attendants) lends an untrammeled air to the scene, making it a place where convention could be broken in the pursuit of a truer art. The composition and use of space in this work continue the bold innovations of Kano Eitoku (1543–1590). Evidence suggests that this work was created by painters of the Kano studio under the direction of one of Eitoku’s sons, perhaps Kano Kotonobu, who received commissions from the Hosokawa family, patrons of Ryōanji Temple.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Appreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four AccomplishmentsAppreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four AccomplishmentsAppreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four AccomplishmentsAppreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four AccomplishmentsAppreciation of Painting, from a set of the Four Accomplishments

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.