Short Nap on a Long Summer Day
1795
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
1795
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Short Nap on a Long Summer Day is a 1795 by Okada Beisanjin, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man dozes on a woven mat under a tree, his hat tipped over his face. This small painting was likely swapped between friends—Nanga artists traded works like letters. The loose brushstrokes and quiet scene feel personal, not grand. It’s more about a lazy afternoon than a famous moment. To see how other Edo artists painted everyday life, look up the subject: *japan, edo period (1615–1868)*.
The Nanga, or "Southern School" painters of 17th- and 18th-century Japan were greatly influenced by Chinese culture. The subjects and styles of their work reflected the contemporary Japanese taste for imported Chinese objects and learning. A common practice among Nanga painters was the exchange of small paintings and calligraphies. They also celebrated special gatherings of artist-friends by producing individual sheets that were then gathered together in albums. The sheets shown here were part of such a gathering.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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