Who painted Birds and Flowers?

Birds and Flowers was painted by Kano Motonobu in 1550.

Where can I see Birds and Flowers?

Birds and Flowers is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Birds and Flowers?

Birds and Flowers is associated with Kanō school.

Artwork

Birds and Flowers

Kano Motonobu , 1550

Birds and Flowers is an unspecified painting by the Kanō school artist Kano Motonobu. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

The painting is called Birds and Flowers by Kanō Motonobu. It was made in 1550. The artist created this work, and I don't know much about the medium used, but it's classified as a floral piece.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this painting, which is a notable fact about its history. You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Kanō Motonobu.

Overview

Created circa 1550, Birds and Flowers is a hanging scroll attributed to Kanō Motonobu, a pivotal figure of the Kanō school. The work exemplifies the school’s early aesthetic, combining precise brushwork with a restrained palette to depict natural subjects. It now belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Japanese painting holdings.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a modest arrangement of avian and botanical elements, a genre known in Japanese art as kachō-ga. By focusing on birds and blossoms, the painting invokes seasonal change and the transience of life, themes traditionally valued in Japanese visual culture. The quiet balance of forms suggests a contemplative observation of nature rather than a narrative scene.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the piece follows the Kanō school’s emphasis on disciplined brush strokes and layered washes.

Executed in ink and color on paper, the piece follows the Kanō school’s emphasis on disciplined brush strokes and layered washes. Motonobu’s hand is evident in the controlled line work that defines the feathers and petals, while the subtle use of pigment adds depth without overwhelming the composition. The style reflects the school’s synthesis of Chinese brush techniques with Japanese sensibilities.

History & Provenance

Kanō Motonobu (1476–1559) was instrumental in shaping the Kanō school’s institutional structure, and Birds and Flowers is an early example of his mature output. The work entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the 20th century, providing a rare public view of a mid‑16th‑century Japanese scroll.

Context

During the mid‑Muromachi period, the Kanō school emerged as a dominant force in Japanese painting, serving both aristocratic patrons and Buddhist institutions. Motonobu’s career coincided with the school’s consolidation of a curriculum that would later define Edo‑period training. This painting illustrates the school’s foundational visual language that would be transmitted to successive generations of artists.