Artwork
Gathering of Poetic Immortals with Poem Drafts
Gathering of Poetic Immortals with Poem Drafts is an unspecified painting by the Joseon dynasty painting artist Matsumura Goshun. It dates from 1704 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1983.188
- Credit line
- Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund
About this work
Overview
This painting, Gathering of Poetic Immortals with Poem Drafts, is a collaborative work featuring a group of poets in traditional Japanese attire. It combines painting and calligraphy with manuscript drafts.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts nine poets considered by Yosa Buson to be skilled at haikai, a form of humorous linked poetry. The subject matter is linked to Buson's own poetic drafts and commentary, which are preserved beneath the painting.
Technique & Style
The work is a synthesis of visual art and literature, with Matsumura Goshun's painting accompanied by Buson's manuscripts. Goshun's choice of subject is informed by the content of Buson's texts, illustrating the interplay between the two artists' work.
History & Provenance
The painting was created to raise funds for Buson's daughter Kuno's second marriage after his death. Buson's students contributed their own artworks, attached to his surviving poetry drafts and commentary, to be sold.
Artist & collection
