Waves at Matsushima by Tawaraya Sōtatsu

"Waves at Matsushima" by Tawaraya Sōtatsu

Left screen
Right screen




“Waves at Matsushima” is a painting on a folding screen by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (1570? -1643?), consisting of 1 pair of 6 folding screens. “Waves at Matsushima” is one of his 6 existing folding screen paintings. This work is said to have been located in Shoun-ji Temple in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture until 1902, but it moved to America in the late Meiji Period and is now in the possession of the Freer Gallery of Art. Ogata Kōrin‘s painting “Waves at Matsushima” is a replica of this. Kōrin also copied many other works of Sōtatsu. Ernest Fenollosa bought Kōrin’s “Waves at Matsushima” which is now in the possession of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. As Fenollosa brought his work overseas, he gained a high reputation worldwide, and at the same time, the name of his model became known overseas. The left screen shows pine trees and clouds, and the right screen shows rugged rocks protruding into the sea.

Title: Waves at Matsushima

Author: Tawaraya Sōtatsu

Year: 1628

Size: 166.0×369.9 cm

Own: Freer and Sackler Galleries

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