Who painted Wagtails and Narcissus?

Wagtails and Narcissus was painted by Eison in 1504.

Where can I see Wagtails and Narcissus?

Wagtails and Narcissus is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Wagtails and Narcissus?

Wagtails and Narcissus is associated with Nanga.

Can I buy a print of Wagtails and Narcissus?

Museum-quality prints of Wagtails and Narcissus are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Wagtails and Narcissus

Eison , 1504

Wagtails and Narcissus is an unspecified painting by the Nanga artist Eison. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1985.90
Credit line: Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund

About this work

Overview

Created around 1504, the work titled Wagtails and Narcissus is a modestly sized still‑life painting attributed to the Japanese artist Eason. It is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of early sixteenth‑century Japanese painting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on two slender wagtails, their elongated tails poised on a thin branch, while a flowering plant with white blossoms and narrow leaves rises behind them. The birds are rendered with a quiet vitality, suggesting a moment of natural observation rather than symbolic narrative.

Technique & Style

Eason employs a restrained palette of soft browns and deep blacks, creating a calm atmosphere that emphasizes form over colour. Fine brushwork defines the feathers and foliage, while the background is left largely empty, punctuated only by faint strokes that hint at a simple, undefined setting.

Context

The painting reflects aesthetic tendencies of the Muromachi period, when Japanese artists began integrating Chinese ink traditions with native sensibilities. Its emphasis on minimalism, subtle tonal variation, and focus on everyday subjects aligns with the period’s broader move toward understated elegance in visual art.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Eison

Eison was a Japanese Buddhist monk active in the mid-Kamakura period. He founded the Shingon Risshu. Eison was born in Mikata village, Soejō District, Yamato Province, the son of the scholar-monk Keigen of…