Geese and Reeds in Autumn Moonlight
Original Language Title長谷川宗卓 秋景芦雁図
Artist
Hasegawa Sōtaku
(Japanese, died 1611)
CultureJapanese
Date17th century
MediumSix-panel screen; ink, colors, gold wash, and gold and silver leaf on gold foil ground
DimensionsOverall: 46 1/2 × 112 1/2 inches (118.11 × 285.75 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Menefee D. Blackwell
Object number2000.12.9
Signedmiddle right of far right panel: "Hasegawa Sōtaku"
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 205
Collections
DescriptionThree geese rest in a pond near a stand of gently swaying autumn grasses. A golden crescent moon shines overhead, while gold-mist and scalloped-edge clouds hover overhead.Exhibition HistoryLasting Impressions: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Prints, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, April 5, 2025–July 6, 2025, no cat.
Geese, reeds, and the harvest moon are the hallmarks of Japanese autumnal scenes. Looking at this screen we might imagine migrating birds announcing their arrival as seasons change. Marking a moment of transition, the scene captures a feeling of melancholy.
The clouds at the top and the mist enveloping the geese and reeds are outlined with silver foil. When this screen was placed ina dim room, viewers would have seen the silver foil reflecting the soft natural light or catching the moving candlelight.
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