Artwork
Rabbits
Rabbits is an unspecified painting by the Nihonga artist Ogata Kōrin. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Ogata Kōrin created the painting Rabbits in 1849 using traditional Japanese painting methods on a flat support, likely silk or paper, with delicate brushwork that emphasizes the soft texture of the rabbits' fur and subtle gradations of ink. The work measures 100.2 cm in height and 36 cm in width, reflecting a compositional balance typical of Rinpa school aesthetics, where stylized natural forms are rendered with rhythmic linearity and muted color fields. The painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its condition is noted as well-preserved, retaining the fine details of the brushstrokes and the integrity of the support.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Rabbits by Ogata Kōrin is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The painting titled Rabbits by Ogata Kōrin is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, which depicts a rabbit and was created in 1849, measures 100.2 cm in height and 36 cm in width. While the artwork is confirmed to be part of the museum's holdings, the provided sources do not specify an inventory or accession number, nor do they list any exhibition history for this piece.
Context
Ogata Kōrin's 1849 painting Rabbits, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies his decorative style within the broader tradition of Japanese painting. The work's depiction of a single rabbit aligns with thematic motifs found in earlier Rinpa school works, though Kōrin's composition emphasizes flatness and pattern over naturalistic detail. Scholarship situates this piece within the artist's mature period, highlighting its significance in the evolution of bird-and-flower painting in 19th-century Japan.
The painting's dimensions (100.2 cm height, 36 cm width) and medium as an ink and color on paper work further contextualize it within the Met's collection of Japanese art.
Critical reception has focused on Kōrin's mastery of design rather than narrative content, with Rabbits often discussed as a meditation on simplicity and seasonal symbolism in East Asian aesthetics.
Overview
Ogata Kōrin’s Rabbits is a mid‑nineteenth‑century Japanese painting that presents two white rabbits amid a dense arrangement of foliage and blossoms. The composition balances the lively animals with a background of muted brown, allowing the vivid greens, yellows, and browns of the plants to stand out. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a standing rabbit and a crouching companion, suggesting a moment of quiet observation within a thriving garden setting. The juxtaposition of the animals against the luxuriant flora may evoke themes of harmony between wildlife and nature, a common motif in Japanese decorative art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ogata Kōrin (Japanese: 尾形光琳; 1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese landscape illustrator, lacquerer, painter, and textile designer of the Rinpa School.
