1847
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Willow Branches in Spring is a 1847 by Tsubaki Chinzan, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a thin branch of a willow tree, leaves just unfurling in soft green. This painting is part of an album where Chinzan copied both the look and the handwriting of an earlier Chinese artist. He didn’t just paint the scene—he also rewrote the original poem in the same brushstrokes. To see how copying can feel like creating, look up more works from the subject: japan, edo period (1615–1868).
As the title of this album suggests, Tsubaki Chinzan painted each of the landscapes included in the album after interpretations of the styles of old masters by Chinese painter Zhai Dakun (翟大坤, active 1730–1804). In addition to the painted compositions, he also copied the inscriptions on Zhai Dakun's paintings.
This composition was inspired by Zhai Dakun's album leaf, CMA 1986.49.3 .
Read the full account in the museum source.
Tsubaki Chinzan, originally Tasuku was a Japanese painter in the nanga style. His other art names include Hekiin Sambō, Kyūan (休庵), Shikyūan (四休庵) and Takukadō (琢華堂).
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