Artwork

狩野探水守常筆蓬莱山・瀟湘八景図|Mount Penglai with Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang

狩野探水守常筆蓬莱山・瀟湘八景図|Mount Penglai with Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang is an ink painting by the Kanō school artist Kano Tansui Moritsune. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Together they convey a vision of spiritual elevation and aesthetic balance, reflecting the artist's engagement with mythic geography and literati ideals.

The painting portrays the legendary Mount Penglai, the Taoist paradise said to house immortal beings, alongside the eight scenic vistas of the Xiao and Xiang rivers that evoke the poetic ideal of mist-shrouded waters and distant peaks. Mount Penglai symbolizes transcendence and the pursuit of eternal harmony, while the Xiao-Xiang vistas reference the celebrated 'Eight Views' that embody seasonal moods and scholarly contemplation. Together they convey a vision of spiritual elevation and aesthetic balance, reflecting the artist's engagement with mythic geography and literati ideals.

Technique & Style

The work is executed in ink and color on silk, forming one panel of a triptych of hanging scrolls. Silk was a traditional support favored by the Kanō school. The composition depicts Mount Penglai among the Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang, rendered in a landscape format that emphasizes atmospheric perspective and bold brushwork characteristic of early-19th-century Japanese painting.

Measuring 95.3 cm in height and 34.3 cm in width, the piece was created in Japan in 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Created in 1834 by the Japanese artist Kano Tansui Moritsune, this work is a landscape painting executed in ink and color on silk. It originally formed one part of a triptych of hanging scrolls depicting Mount Penglai alongside the Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang. The scroll entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it remains housed, measuring approximately 95.3 centimeters in height and 34.3 centimeters in width.

No specific details regarding the original commissioner or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its acquisition by the museum are provided in the available records.

Overview

This hanging scroll, titled Mount Penglai with Eight Views of Xiao and Xiang, was created by Kano Tansui Moritsune in 1834. Executed with ink and color on silk, it forms one panel of a larger triptych. The work presents a landscape that subtly merges elements of both mythical and real geography, characteristic of traditional East Asian painting.

Context

This particular scroll is part of a larger three-panel narrative, designed to be viewed as a cohesive set. While each panel can stand alone, its full meaning and visual impact are enhanced when considered within the context of the complete triptych. This format allowed the artist to explore complex themes across multiple surfaces.