Artwork

鉄線下絵和歌色紙|Poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze with Underpainting of Clematis

鉄線下絵和歌色紙|Poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze with Underpainting of Clematis is an ink painting by the Art Nouveau artist Shōkadō Shōjō. It dates from 1616 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Its creation in Japan in 1616 underscores a cultural context where floral symbolism and poetic inscription jointly conveyed aesthetic and scholarly ideals.

The hanging scroll titled 'Poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze with Underpainting of Clematis' depicts a single clematis blossom rendered in ink with gold and silver accents on colored paper. The floral image is paired with a poem attributed to the Heian-court poet Fujiwara no Okikaze, integrating calligraphic text and botanical motif in a single composition. According to the documented sources, the work belongs to the corpus of Shōkadō Shōjō and is classified as a painting that emphasizes both flower and poetry, reflecting the Edo-period practice of uniting visual art with literary expression.

Its creation in Japan in 1616 underscores a cultural context where floral symbolism and poetic inscription jointly conveyed aesthetic and scholarly ideals.

Technique & Style

This work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink, gold, and silver on colored paper. The underpainting of clematis is rendered beneath a poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze, combining pictorial and calligraphic elements on a single sheet. The use of metallic pigments alongside ink on tinted paper is characteristic of early seventeenth-century Japanese decorative painting, lending the surface a luminous quality.

The colored paper support serves as both ground and compositional element, integrating the floral imagery with the inscribed verse.

History & Provenance

Created in 1616, the work Poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze with Underpainting of Clematis was executed by the artist Shōkadō Shōjō in Japan. This hanging scroll, which combines ink, gold, and silver on colored paper to depict flowers and poetry, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Overview

Shōkadō Shōjō created this hanging scroll in 1616, titled Poem by Fujiwara no Okikaze with Underpainting of Clematis. The artwork integrates a calligraphic rendering of an ancient poem with a painted floral motif. This piece exemplifies a long-standing Japanese tradition of combining literary and visual arts, presenting a dialogue between a historical text and a contemporary artistic interpretation on a single surface.