Monday 7 December 2020

Kano Tanshin - Phoenix Screen

 #KanoTanshin #Kano #phoenix #whitephoenix #screenpainting #japanesepainting 

In the 18th century in Japan there are several paintings featuring White rather than Five Colored Phoenixes. I suspect the reasons for this are printed books showing Phoenixes as outline drawings, imported chinese or other east asian monochrome ceramics, and the influence of minimal aesthetics valuing the concept of reduced colors.

Here's one example. This is the middle two screens of a six screen painting.


The white is probably a mineral pigment and stands out all the more given the muted restrained use of colors as highlights on the rest of the set of screens.


This is Kano but you can  see how Kano influenced Rimpa and how both influenced later Nihonga works?

 

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