Artwork
Mountain and River in Storm

Mountain and River in Storm is an unspecified painting by the Joseon dynasty painting artist Hirowatari Setsuzan. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
No details regarding the original commission, early ownership, or chain of custody prior to the museum acquisition are recorded in the available sources.
The painting Mountain and River in Storm was created by the Japanese artist Hirowatari Setsuzan in 1625. The work originated in Japan and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 2015.459, having entered the museum's collection in 2015. No details regarding the original commission, early ownership, or chain of custody prior to the museum acquisition are recorded in the available sources.
Context
Mountain and River in Storm exemplifies early Edo-period Japanese landscape painting, executed in a tradition of atmospheric naturalism. Its reception during the artist's lifetime is sparsely documented. The painting's inclusion in the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection reflects institutional interest in pre-modern Japanese painting.
Overview
Mountain and River in Storm, created by Hirowatari Setsuzan in 1625, is a dramatic landscape painting housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art. The work juxtaposes a towering, gradated gray mountain with a serene, rippled river, set against a turbulent, lightning-illuminated sky.
Subject & Meaning
The painting contrasts turmoil and serenity, pitting the dynamic stormy sky against the calm river, while the mountain's shading adds depth. This juxtaposition may symbolize the coexistence of opposing natural forces.
Technique & Style
Setsuzan employed chiaroscuro to create a sense of depth, guiding the viewer's eye into the scene. The mountain's gradual shift from dark to light grays enhances the three-dimensional effect.
Legacy
The painting's impact on later artists or its reception over time is not specified in the available information.
Artist & collection










