Who painted 老梅図襖|Old Plum?

老梅図襖|Old Plum was painted by Kanō Sansetsu in 1646.

Where can I see 老梅図襖|Old Plum?

老梅図襖|Old Plum is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 老梅図襖|Old Plum?

老梅図襖|Old Plum is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

老梅図襖|Old Plum

Kanō Sansetsu , 1646

老梅図襖|Old Plum is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Kanō Sansetsu. It dates from 1646 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Artist Kano Sansetsu created Old Plum in 1646, an expansive work composed of four sliding-door panels (fusuma).

Accession no.: 1975.268.48a–d
Credit line: The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting's composition centers on the plum tree, a species native to the region, within the traditional East Asian artistic context.

Old Plum (1646) by Kano Sansetsu depicts a Prunus mume, or plum tree, on four fusuma panels using ink, color, and gold leaf. The work is classified as a landscape painting and belongs to the landscape genre, reflecting its subject as a natural form. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, located in New York, and was created in Japan.

The painting's composition centers on the plum tree, a species native to the region, within the traditional East Asian artistic context.

Technique & Style

The work consists of four fusuma panels painted in ink, muted color washes, and applied gold leaf on paper. Kano Sansetsu employed a delicate brushstroke to render the blossoming Prunus mume, using layered ink to define trunk and branches while color washes suggest foliage, and gold leaf accents highlight floral details. The composition balances spacious negative areas with tightly rendered botanical elements, characteristic of early Edo-period decorative painting.

Executed in 1646, the panels measure 174.6 × 485.5 cm and were created in Japan; their present condition reflects the typical aging of paper support and pigment, with minor surface wear but overall structural integrity preserved.

History & Provenance

Old Plum (老梅図襖) was created by Kano Sansetsu in 1646. The work consists of four sliding-door panels (fusuma) executed in ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, and was produced in Japan. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it measures approximately 174.6 cm in height and 485.5 cm in width.

The sources do not provide further details regarding an ownership chain prior to the museum's acquisition or any intervening provenance between its creation and its present institutional home.

Overview

Artist Kano Sansetsu created Old Plum in 1646, an expansive work composed of four sliding-door panels (fusuma). Executed with ink, color, gold, and gold leaf on paper, the painting depicts a large, ancient plum tree. This significant piece exemplifies the integration of art and architecture, designed to adorn an interior space.

Its scale and the use of precious materials underscore its original context and the importance of its subject matter.