Artwork
狩野之信筆 四十雀柘榴花図|Titmouse with Pomegranate Flowers

狩野之信筆 四十雀柘榴花図|Titmouse with Pomegranate Flowers is an ink painting by the Kanō school artist Kano Yukinobu 狩野之信. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on these natural elements, presenting the bird and flora as the primary subjects of the work.
Created in 1550 by Kano Yukinobu, this hanging scroll depicts a titmouse perched among pomegranate flowers. The composition focuses on these natural elements, presenting the bird and flora as the primary subjects of the work. While the painting clearly illustrates specific species from the natural world, the available records do not elaborate on deeper symbolic interpretations or specific iconographic traditions associated with this particular arrangement.
Technique & Style
The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink and polychrome pigments on paper. The support consists of a traditional scroll format, appropriate for a piece classified as a painting within the still‑life genre. Its subject, a titmouse surrounded by pomegranate blossoms, reflects the bird‑and‑flower motif noted in the cataloguing data.
The composition demonstrates the precise brushwork and muted palette typical of Kano Yukinobu’s late‑Muromachi style, while the scroll’s vertical orientation emphasizes the vertical rhythm of the avian and floral elements.
History & Provenance
Created in 1550 by the Japanese artist Kano Yukinobu, this hanging scroll depicts a titmouse amidst pomegranate flowers. The work was executed in Japan using ink and color on paper. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its current location are not recorded in the available sources, the painting is presently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The hanging scroll titled Titmouse with Pomegranate Flowers, created by Kano Yukinobu in 1550, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, which depicts birds and flowers using ink and color on paper, is located at this institution in New York. While the museum's ownership and the work's creation date are documented, specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records. Furthermore, no details regarding the artwork's exhibition history are currently cited in the source material.
Overview
Kano Yukinobu's "Titmouse with Pomegranate Flowers," created around 1550, is an ink and color painting on paper, presented as a hanging scroll. This work exemplifies a still life composition, featuring a small bird perched among vibrant pomegranate blossoms. It showcases the artist's skill in blending delicate natural observation with traditional painting techniques, characteristic of the period and the Kano school's approach to art.
Context
The Kano school, which flourished during the Muromachi and Edo periods, was a dominant force in Japanese painting. Artists from this school, including Yukinobu, were instrumental in developing a style that synthesized the bold brushwork and monochrome traditions of Chinese ink painting with the decorative qualities and narrative focus often found in Japanese art. This fusion allowed for a versatile range of subjects, from landscapes to detailed nature studies like this one.
Artist & collection
Artist
Kano Yukinobu (1513 to 1575) was a Japanese painter of the Kano school during the Muromachi period.













