Chrysanthemum and Quails (Translation)
野菊双鶉図 江戶時代 土佐光起筆 妙法院堯恕法親王贊 絹本着色 (Primary Title)
Tosa Mitsuoki 土佐光起, Japanese, 1617-1691 (Artist)
Price Priest Gyojo, Japanese, 1640 - 1695 (Calligrapher)
Conceived by Chinese court painters of the Ming dynasty, the pairing of chrysanthemum and quails as a symbol of autumn has been a favorite subject of Japanese artists. Tosa Mitsuoki’s painting is rendered in vivid colors, exquisite lines, and intricate detail. The lyrical lines above the image describe autumn grasses in the wind. A native of Sakai, Tosa Mitsuoki moved to Kyoto when he was seventeen. As an innovative artist, he raised the prestige of the Tosa tradition in the court. The signature of the artist’s religious name on this painting indicates it was completed after he took Buddhist vows in 1681.
Tosa School 土佐派
Edo period (1615-1868)
光起入道常昭筆 Mitsuoki nyudo Tsuneaki hitsu
光起之印 Mitsuoki no in
Inscribed by Price Priest Gyojo： 秋ふかき草のまがきに露ちりて寒き野風に鶉鳴くなり
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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