Artwork

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons), by Chôbunsai Eishi, ink, 1809
蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons), by Chôbunsai Eishi, ink, 1809

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) is an ink painting by the Romanticist artist Chôbunsai Eishi. It dates from 1809 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Chōbunsai Eishi's Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons), created in 1809, is a triptych of hanging scrolls.

Accession no.
2015.300.142a–c
Credit line
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Together, these elements create a symbolic representation of seasonal change and the fleeting nature of beauty, reflecting the cultural values of the period.

The work depicts a landscape scene featuring a boat, flowers, and a woman, set against a backdrop that evokes the seasonal themes of snow, moon, and cherry blossoms. While the title explicitly references these three seasonal motifs, the visual composition integrates them to represent the passage of time and the aesthetic ideals associated with the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters. The inclusion of a woman alongside natural elements suggests a connection between human experience and the transient beauty of nature, a common theme in Edo-period art.

The presence of a boat further anchors the scene in a specific setting, likely alluding to the waterways near the Yoshiwara district. Together, these elements create a symbolic representation of seasonal change and the fleeting nature of beauty, reflecting the cultural values of the period.

Technique & Style

The artwork is a triptych of hanging scrolls rendered in ink, color, and gold on silk, characteristic of Edo-period painting practice. Its support consists of silk sheets arranged as three separate hanging scrolls, allowing flexible display. The composition falls within the landscape genre while incorporating figurative motifs, a boat, a flower, and a woman, rendered with delicate brushwork and subtle gold highlights that accentuate atmospheric effects.

The use of layered color over ink creates a luminous surface, and the spatial arrangement reflects a balanced, decorative approach typical of Chōbunsai Eishi's style. The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and dates to 1809.

History & Provenance

Created in 1809 in Japan, this triptych of hanging scrolls was executed by the artist Chōbunsai Eishi in ink, color, and gold on silk. It is now held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work carries inscriptions by the poet Shokusanjin (Ōta Nanpo), linking the visual depiction of seasonal themes, snow, moon, and cherry blossoms, with literary commentary typical of the period.

The specific circumstances of its original commission and the chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, and no accession number or exhibition history is documented; the work is firmly dated to the early nineteenth century.

Overview

Chōbunsai Eishi's Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons), created in 1809, is a triptych of hanging scrolls. Executed in ink, color, and gold on silk, this landscape painting captures a series of seasonal vignettes. The composition features a boat carrying women, set amidst blossoming trees and a moonlit, snowy environment, evoking a serene Japanese landscape that also hints at everyday life scenes.

Context

Born into a prominent samurai family, Chōbunsai Eishi initially served as a vassal to the Shogunate. His artistic training included studies with the Kano-school painter Kano Eisen'in Michinobu, a classical tradition. Eishi later chose to leave his official duties to dedicate himself fully to art, transitioning into the ukiyo-e genre where he became recognized for his graceful depictions of figures.

秋冬景山水図|Landscapes of Autumn and Winter
秋冬景山水図|Landscapes of Autumn and Winter, Tenshō Shūbun

Artist & collection

Portrait of Chôbunsai Eishi

Artist

Chôbunsai Eishi

Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎 栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…

Frequently asked questions

Who painted 蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)?

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) was painted by Chôbunsai Eishi in early 19th century.

Where can I see 蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)?

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)?

蜀山人(大田 南畝)賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) is associated with Romanticism.