Birds in Willows and Blossoming Peach Tree

Birds in Willows and Blossoming Peach Tree

Yosa Buson

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Buson’s painting style translates Chinese motifs and styles into a softer, freer expression of Japanese taste. Thus, while the compositional elements here are based upon authoritative Ming and Qing prototypes, the artist executed features of the natural world with looser brushstrokes in more subdued tones. Buson gave a witty personal expression to this work, which is based on conventional Qing-dynasty painting. He juxtaposes the two birds so that the female, on the bough above, seems to peer with a critical eye at her mate below, who is self-absorbed in the joy of his own song.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Birds in Willows and Blossoming Peach TreeBirds in Willows and Blossoming Peach TreeBirds in Willows and Blossoming Peach TreeBirds in Willows and Blossoming Peach TreeBirds in Willows and Blossoming Peach Tree

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.