Vying Peacocks

Original Language Title孔雀図 Kujaku zu

Artist Ishizaki Koyo (Japanese, 1884 - 1947)

Dateca. 1929

MediumInk, mineral colors, gofun (white powdered shell) and gold on silk with urahaku (gold leaf applied to the reverse of silk) with wooden support

DimensionsEach (screen): 67 1/4 × 170 3/4 inches (170.82 × 433.71 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: Asian Art Acquisition Fund in memory of Laurence Sickman

Object number2014.51.1,2

SignedInk. On the bottom left corner of the left screen and on the bottom right corner of the right screen. Both of them read Koyo (光瑤)

On View

Not on view

Collections

East Asian Art

Terms

Description1 = left panel
2 = right panel
The artist Ishizaki Koyo depicts peacocks and a peahen, his favored motifs, in an elegant manner and stunning composition on this pair of large screens. Two colorful, vying peacocks are depicted larger than life size in confrontational poses, each spanning several panels. Meanwhile, the unassertive peahen in light-gray sits on the ground modestly. The peacock hovering on the right seems to be about to attack the peacock on the ground on the left that seems to be protecting the peahen. A special glowing effect is added to this lively scene through the use of a gold leaf-backed silk background. Sparsely placed dandelions on the left screen and other flowers on the right screen balance the overall composition.

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