Six Jewel Rivers

Sakai Ōho

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The titles of the six small-format handscrolls in this set refer to the six rivers in various parts of Japan that are named Tamagawa, or Jewel River. Each scroll shows a horizontal expanse of landscape in which the main elements of the composition are gradually introduced and then slowly fade out in almost cinematic fashion. The theme of six beautiful rivers enjoyed great popularity in the nineteenth century among both poets and ukiyo-e printmakers. Sakai Ōho, one of the last Rinpa artists of the Edo period, died when he was quite young, leaving only a small body of work. Many of his paintings are based on or inspired by the work of Sakai Hōitsu, his adoptive father and teacher.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art