Scholars in a Thatched Hut Under an Old Tree
Tanomura Chokunyū
Description
This small work was once part of a collaborative album
(a compilation of works by di erent artists). Here it has
been mounted as a hanging scroll—an act that marks a fundamental shift in its use and meaning. An album is held in the hand by a single individual, who turns the pages at will, controlling the pace and sequence of a private viewing. A hanging scroll, by contrast, is meant for display. Both the intimate scale and the theme of companionship make this painting a good choice for a small tearoom alcove. The artist, Tanomura Chokunyu ̄, was the son of a minor local o cial in Kyushu. At age eight he began to study painting with Tanomura Chikuden (1777–1835), renowned for his works in the Nanga style, a painting school inspired by the Chinese literati (amateur-scholar) tradition. The master saw such promise in the boy that he adopted him.
Subject Matter:
This small work was once part of a collaborative album. Here it has been mounted as a hanging scroll—an act that marks a fundamental shift in its use and meaning. An album is held in the hand by a single individual, who turns the pages at will, controlling the pace and sequence of a private viewing. A hanging scroll, by contrast, is meant for display. Both the intimate scale and the theme of companionship make this painting a good choice for a small tearoom alcove.
Physical Description:
The painting has a large tree in the forground, behind which is positioned a small hut which has two figures seated inside. Behind the hut are mountains and a small path disappearing in the distance on the bottom left of the image.
Usage Rights:
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