Cherry Trees with Narcissus, Violets, and Dandelions
Artist: Attributed to
Unkoku School
(Japanese)
Place made:Japan, Asia
Culture: Japanese
Period: Edo period
Date: 1600-1868, 17th century
Medium: Color, Ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions:
63 3/4 × 140 15/16 in. (161.9 × 358 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, purchased with funds provided by the Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund
Object number: 2020.13.a-b
Label Text
This stunning pair of flowering cherry trees are the quintessential symbol of spring in Japan. The abundant white blossoms are built up with a shell paste called gofun that gives a three-dimensional feel to the screen. Small bunches of wildflowers—narcissus, violets, and dandelions—are clustered at the base of each tree. Because cherry blossoms epitomize springtime, the brevity of life, and the fragility of relationships, they have been a primary motif in poetry for hundreds of years.
Unkoku Tōgan (1547–1618) worked for the Mori family, who ruled the provinces in western Japan. Trained in the Kano style, Tōgan took an independent path, establishing his own studio and a unique style that appealed to the tastes of the warrior class.
(ES, 2023)
Unkoku Tōgan (1547–1618) worked for the Mori family, who ruled the provinces in western Japan. Trained in the Kano style, Tōgan took an independent path, establishing his own studio and a unique style that appealed to the tastes of the warrior class.
(ES, 2023)
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
