Artwork
竹に栗鼠図|Squirrels on Bamboo and Rock
竹に栗鼠図|Squirrels on Bamboo and Rock is an ink painting by the Kanō school artist Kano Osanobu. It dates from 1824 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Executed in ink on silk as a hanging scroll in 1824, it was produced in Japan and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.
The work shows a squirrel perched on a bamboo stem alongside a rock, set within a naturalistic bamboo grove. Executed in ink on silk as a hanging scroll in 1824, it was produced in Japan and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. The sources identify the depicted flora and fauna but do not elaborate on any symbolic or allegorical meaning, leaving the interpretive significance of the image unspecified.
Technique & Style
The work is executed as a hanging scroll in ink on silk, a format and support typical of late Edo-period Kano-school painting. The composition combines controlled line work for the bamboo culms and foliage with softer, modulated washes for the rock and ground, demonstrating the Kano school's synthesis of ink control and tonal gradation. Stylistically, the squirrels are rendered with abbreviated, calligraphic strokes that balance naturalism with decorative economy, while the bamboo leaves employ repeated, rhythmic dabs to suggest volume without over-modeling.
The scroll's dimensions (95.3 × 43.8 cm) conform to standard kakejiku proportions, and the refined handling of ink dilution and brush pressure indicates mature atelier practice.
History & Provenance
The hanging scroll Squirrels on Bamboo and Rock (1824) by Kano Osanobu is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, executed in ink on silk, measures 95.3 cm in height and 43.8 cm in width, and its creation is dated to 1824. The provided documentation does not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece, nor does it detail any exhibition history or past display locations within the museum or elsewhere.
The artwork remains part of the museum's permanent holdings, categorized as a Japanese painting depicting squirrels and bamboo.
Context
The hanging scroll titled 竹に栗鼠図|Squirrels on Bamboo and Rock, executed in ink on silk in 1824 by Kano Osanobu, belongs to the Kanō school of Edo-period painting and exemplifies the bird-and-flower genre through its depiction of bamboo stems and a squirrel. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, where its dimensions (95.3 × 43.8 cm) and Japanese origin are documented. The piece stands as a refined example of naturalistic representation within the Kanō tradition, emphasizing its role in illustrating the era's interest in subtle brushwork and symbolic flora.
Overview
"Squirrels on Bamboo and Rock" is a hanging scroll painting by Kano Osanobu, created around 1824. Executed in ink on silk, this work depicts a lively scene of squirrels interacting with bamboo stalks and a rock formation. The piece exemplifies the artist's skill in capturing natural dynamism and texture using a monochromatic palette, reflecting the aesthetic principles of the Kano school during the Edo period.
Artist & collection
