МАЭ № 13-21

A Japanese Landscape. A View of the Shokawa River

Japanese

1820-s

silk textile, Japanese washigami paper, wood, ink, Japanese watercolours, bone of domestic cow, silk cord, glue

Mounting 198 × 64; painting 110.2 × 51.7

The painting shows tsukimi – a “viewing the full moon” feast, also known as meigetsu – “bright moon”. This feast usually takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month, when the full moon is at its most impressive. As on other occasions when natural beauty is enjoyed large parties of people go out into the countryside to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. However, the scene depicted here appears to be in July, during the hottest part of the summer. Those participating in the feast have removed their clothes and are holding fans in their hands to have some relief from the unbearable summer heat. We also note the picnic platforms projected into the river, where cool breezes from the river will carry away the heat. Also, this scene takes place at night - there are many lanterns, and background is shown somewhat unclear. Most of the people are looking in one and the same direction (to the left) where the moonrise is supposed. Some lanterns, bear the names of the tea-houses: 井とめ Itome and松平ゃMatsudairaya. The yamato-hogyu mounting of this scroll differs from those described above in color (the green base tone) and decorative motifs (the pattern is varied with Chinese peonies, 16-petel chrysanthemums with sixteen petals, and, perhaps, Japanese roses – all placed into the outline of a 6-petel plum blossom).

Ethnographic drawing