Artwork
Bush Clover
Bush Clover is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Suzuki Kiitsu. It dates from 1741 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The choice to emphasize this unassuming subject aligns with the literati tradition, where humble flora can signify steadfast character and the passage of time.
The painting depicts bush clover (Lespedeza), a deciduous shrub native to East Asia, rendered in delicate ink and color on silk. Kiitsu’s composition focuses on the plant’s slender stems and trifoliate leaves, with clusters of small, pea-like flowers subtly indicated in muted tones.
In Japanese visual culture, bush clover carries layered associations. It appears in classical poetry and painting as a symbol of autumn and resilience, its late-season bloom enduring after other flora have faded. The choice to emphasize this unassuming subject aligns with the literati tradition, where humble flora can signify steadfast character and the passage of time.
History & Provenance
Bush Clover is a painting created in 1741 by Suzuki Kiitsu, depicting a bush clover motif in the Japanese artistic tradition. The work was produced in Japan and is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view.
The painting entered the museum's collection through a documented acquisition, establishing its modern ownership chain from the artist to the institution.
Bush Clover is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1983.123. The work was first exhibited at the museum in 1984 as part of a Japanese woodblock print showcase and later featured in the 1995 exhibition "Masterpieces of Edo Period Painting," which traveled to several U.S. institutions.
Overview
Bush Clover is a painted fan created by Suzuki Kiitsu in 1741. The work presents a botanical motif rendered on a light background, with a palette of muted greens, browns, and touches of white. The composition follows the fan’s structural ribs, arranging leaves and branches in a measured, orderly fashion.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink and subtle color washes, the painting employs fine brushwork to delineate each leaf along the fan’s framework. The soft tonal range and restrained palette reflect the artist’s delicate approach, while the precise alignment with the fan’s ribs demonstrates an integration of functional object and visual composition.
Context
Fans such as this served both practical and aesthetic purposes, allowing owners to carry refined artwork in daily life. Suzuki Kiitsu, known for his plant studies, contributed to a tradition of decorative painting that blended utility with artistic expression, situating this piece within a broader cultural practice of miniature art.
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