Who painted 朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories?

朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories was painted by Suzuki Kiitsu in early 19th century.

Where can I see 朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories?

朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories?

朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories is associated with Nihonga.

朝顔図屏風|Morning Glories by Suzuki Kiitsu (early 19th century)

About this work

Technique & Style

The work depicts flowers and leaves, with the morning glory vines and blooms arranged as the principal subject across the gilded surface.

Morning Glories is executed as a pair of six-panel folding screens using ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, a format that allows the morning glory vines to extend across multiple panels as a continuous composition. The application of gold leaf as a ground is characteristic of the Rinpa school's screen painting tradition, providing a luminous backdrop against which the botanical motifs are rendered in ink and color. The screens measure 178.3 cm in height and 379.7 cm in width, a broad horizontal expanse suited to the paired-screen format.

The work depicts flowers and leaves, with the morning glory vines and blooms arranged as the principal subject across the gilded surface.

History & Provenance

Suzuki Kiitsu's Morning Glories was created in 1850 as a pair of six-panel folding screens executed in ink, color, and gold leaf on paper. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains held. No additional details regarding commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.

The pair of six-panel folding screens is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as recorded in the Wikidata entry for the work.

No specific accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.

Overview

Morning Glories is a pair of six-panel folding screens created by Suzuki Kiitsu in 1850. Executed in ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, the work depicts a dense, rhythmic proliferation of morning glory vines and blossoms against a shimmering gold background. Kiitsu renders the flowers with deep blue petals and vibrant green leaves, capturing the ephemeral nature of the bloom which opens briefly in the early summer morning.

The composition fills the entire surface of the screens, creating an immersive environment where the organic forms of the plants contrast with the flat, luminous expanse of gold. This piece exemplifies the Rinpa school tradition of stylizing natural motifs through bold design and decorative materials, while demonstrating Kiitsu's mastery in synthesizing the styles of his predecessors, particularly Ogata Kōrin. As a late work by the artist, who was a leading figure of the Rinpa revival in the mid-19th century, the screens reflect his ability to infuse traditional decorative aesthetics with a fresh, dynamic energy.

The work stands as a significant example of Edo-period screen painting, emphasizing the interplay between nature and luxury materials.

Subject & Meaning

The screens are entirely dedicated to morning glories, featuring deep blue blossoms, bright green leaves, and intertwining vines. Kiitsu captured these flowers during their brief summer bloom, which typically lasts only a few hours each day. The composition deliberately omits human figures or narrative elements, instead focusing on the transient beauty of nature and evoking a sense of serene contemplation.