Artwork
Summer and Winter Landscapes (one of a pair)
Summer and Winter Landscapes (one of a pair) is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Kano Naonobu. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2015.481.2
- Credit line
- Gift from the Collection of George Gund III
About this work
Overview
The work consists of two adjoining panels that present contrasting seasonal views: a winter landscape occupies the left panel while a summer scene is rendered on the right. The composition is deliberately sparse, using minimal elements to evoke the quiet atmosphere of each season. The pair is attributed to Kano Naonobu, a mid‑17th‑century painter of the Kano school.
Subject & Meaning
The winter panel conveys a muted, perhaps snow‑laden terrain, its cool palette suggesting stillness and introspection. In contrast, the summer side bursts with warmer tones and foliage, implying vitality and openness. By placing the two opposites side by side, the artist invites contemplation of nature’s cyclical rhythm and the balance between restraint and abundance.
Technique & Style
Naonobu employed a restrained brushwork characteristic of the Kano tradition, favoring flat washes of colour and subtle line to delineate landforms. The panels are executed on paper, and the surface bears a delicate ink and pigment application that emphasizes atmospheric effects over detailed rendering. The simplicity of the layout enhances the meditative quality of the scenes.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a pair of folding screens, the panels suffered damage over time. A later conservation intervention replaced missing sections with new paper and applied inpainting to restore visual continuity, leaving traceable signs of the repair for careful viewers. The work now resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Context
Kano Naonobu (born in Kyoto) was the younger brother of the renowned Kano Tan’yū. In 1630, at the Tokugawa shogunate’s invitation, he moved to Edo, where he collaborated with his brother and their teacher on major projects, including decorative schemes for Nijō Castle and the Pure Land temple Chion’in. This screen reflects the school’s emphasis on elegant, understated landscape motifs.
Artist & collection
Artist
Kanō Naonobu (狩野 尚信, 25 November 1607 – 7 May 1650) was a Japanese painter of the Kanō school of painting during the early Edo period.
