Artwork
Summer Night
Summer Night is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Maruyama Ōkyo. It dates from 1792 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting’s condition remains stable, with no documented alterations to its original materials or support.
Summer Night is an oil painting on silk created by Maruyama Ōkyo in Japan in 1784. The work measures 130.2 cm by 68.2 cm and is housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its composition features a moonlit landscape with delicate brushwork and subtle gradations of light, reflecting the artist’s signature shasei style of naturalistic detail. The painting’s condition remains stable, with no documented alterations to its original materials or support.
History & Provenance
The painting Summer Night was created by Maruyama Ōkyo in 1784 in Japan. This work, dated specifically to January 1, 1784, is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The piece is cataloged within the museum's holdings under the accession number 1973.156.1.
Legacy
Summer Night (1784) by Maruyama Ōkyo has been recognized for its atmospheric depiction of nocturnal landscapes. The painting's composition and use of light influenced subsequent Japanese art circles, particularly in how night scenes were rendered with subtle gradations of color. It is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, accessioned in 1973, and continues to be referenced in studies of Edo-period painting.
Overview
Created in 1792 by the Japanese artist Maruyama Ōkyo, this six‑panel painting titled Summer Night is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a nocturnal landscape that balances darkness and light across its divided composition.
Subject & Meaning
The scene unfolds under a moonlit sky, with a clouded, somber left side contrasting a clearer, more tranquil right side. Trees and rolling hills occupy the foreground, while a distant body of water recedes into the night, evoking a sense of quiet contemplation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Maruyama Ōkyo (円山 応挙; Japanese pronunciation: , June 12, 1733 – August 31, 1795), born Maruyama Masataka, was a Japanese artist active in the late 18th century.
