What movement is 伝狩野永徳筆唐美人唐子図屏風|Chinese Women and Children in a Palace Garden?

伝狩野永徳筆唐美人唐子図屏風|Chinese Women and Children in a Palace Garden is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

伝狩野永徳筆唐美人唐子図屏風|Chinese Women and Children in a Palace Garden

伝狩野永徳筆唐美人唐子図屏風|Chinese Women and Children in a Palace Garden is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Kano Eitoku. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1650 by Kano Eitoku, this six‑panel folding screen measures several meters when opened and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. Executed on paper with ink, pigments, and applied gold leaf, the work presents a garden scene populated by figures in elaborate dress, set against a stylised landscape of trees, rocks and a distant structure.

Subject & Meaning

The panels depict a group of women and children within a palace garden, their attire reflecting traditional Chinese costume. The figures are engaged in leisurely activities, such as children playing with toys, suggesting a serene, cultivated environment. The composition emphasizes harmony between human presence and the cultivated natural setting, a theme common in East Asian courtly imagery.

Technique & Style

Eitoku employs a highly detailed, realistic approach, rendering fabrics with intricate patterns and shading that convey texture. Gold leaf is applied to architectural elements and decorative motifs, lending a luminous quality that underscores the scene’s opulence. The use of ink outlines combined with vibrant pigments creates depth, while the gold accents highlight focal points within the garden.

History & Provenance

The screen was produced in the mid‑17th century during the Edo period and later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of Kano school painting. Its provenance prior to acquisition by the museum is not extensively documented, but it reflects the school’s continued engagement with Chinese subject matter and courtly themes.