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Chinese and Japanese Scroll Painting:
The Ingalls Library and Sherman E. Lee - August 2009 |
Ingakyo (1922?) scroll by Masuda, Takashi (1848-1938)
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The Ingalls Library Scroll Collection
contains approximately fifty Chinese and Japanese scrolls, including a number
of them purchased from or donated by Sherman E. Lee (1918-2008). Some of
the scrolls are limited original productions by the scholars' studios, whereas
others are reproductions of fine classical works.
Scroll painting can be loosely categorized into two types: landscape and
narrative. Poetry and calligraphy often accompany the scenes to evoke and
enhance the subject in question. The earliest Chinese scrolls date from
the late 4th century, and were mainly used as Buddhist teaching tools. The
continuous scroll form was fully developed by the Tang dynasty. During the
Tang dynasty figure and narrative painting was considered more prestigious
than landscape genre. However, this hierarchy was reversed during the Song
and Yuan dynasty.
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Format of Scrolls
A horizontal scroll unfolds from right to left and is usually viewed flat
on a table. Generally such scrolls are displayed one division at a time.
The viewers have an opportunity to follow the continuity of scenery from
right to left. The unique format of scrolls invites viewers to travel across
panoramic views of landscape. They often present continuous and shifting
narratives and lyrical illustrations. In Japan, a horizontal scroll is called
Makimono (12th and 13th centuries).
A vertical scroll can be suspended on walls in its entirety, giving the
viewers an overview of the scenery and figures simultaneously. In Japan,
such scrolls are called Kakemono.
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Materials of scrolls
Scrolls can be made from a roll of papyrus, silk, parchment, or xuan
paper (rice paper), which can be painted upon. They are mounted on quality
silk brocade and wood dowels. Silk was usually used until the invention
of paper in China around the first century A.D. Early paper was made from
rice, straw, bark, reeds and bamboo. These early papers were more absorbent
than silk and facilitated more spontaneous application of ink and pigments.
Most modern scrolls are on xuan paper. The scroll is attached to a wooden
dowel and decorative embroidery serves as the cover.
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Scrolls in the Ingalls Library
Purchased from
or Donated by Sherman E. Lee
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Yamai no soshi
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Yamai no soshi
病の草紙 : 雞に目をつつかせる女
This exquisite scroll probably dates back to the early 1900's; however,
the subject matter of diseases and deformities can be traced back to the
12th century. The Japanese Buddhist view of the human body and its conditions
has been studied by many scholars using such scroll fragments, known as
yamai no soshi or "notes on illness." According to scholars
the depiction of various bodily conditions and healing methods are the Buddhist
reflection on karma and reincarnation. Some depictions portray birth, old
age and death.
This scroll fragment depicts a sick female whose eye is being pecked by
a cock. It is probable that she suffers from vision loss. According to the
Wheel of Life, the cock is one of the "three poisons," representing
human greed. |
Chang
Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759)
王維長江積雪圖
This scroll is a reproduction of Wang Wei's renowned landscape work during
the Tang dynasty. Wang Wei was both a well-established painter and a poet.
Even though Wang Wei was a devoted Buddhist, he rarely painted Buddhist
subjects. His strong brushstrokes contrasted with light ink washes have
been considered to be the chief representative of the so-called ink landscape
painting. Although none of his original paintings survived, his artistic
achievements endured. Many painters from later periods continued to evoke
his poetry and hermitism in their own works. |
| Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 2
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Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 1 |
| Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 4 |
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Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 3 |
| Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 6 |
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Chang Jiang ji xue tu by Wang Wei (699-759), part 5 |
Ingakyo (1922?)
scroll by Masuda, Takashi (1848-1938)
益田孝
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Ingakyo, Teaching on karma
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Ingakyo, Extinguishing the fire
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This colorful scroll introduces illustrations
and pictorial explanations of sutra the Buddhist scripture. This
particular sutra is called the Sutra of Cause and Effect. The content
of the sutra is copied in the lower half, while the upper half illustrates
scenes described below.
Here Sakyamuni is visited by fifty-six arhats who have come to receive his
teaching on karma, the Buddhist law of cause and effect. Sakyamuni demonstrates
his mastery of the delusional mind by sitting in a stone cave covered by
fire set upon by an evil dragon. The arhats tried to extinguish the fire
but their efforts fail. Nonetheless, the evil dragon retreats into the urn,
and the arhats decide to spread Sakyamuni's miracle teaching to different
kingdoms. Such depictions of Sakyamuni's life have been a popular subject
for both Chinese and Japanese artists.
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Ingakyo, Dragon in an urn |
Hoyake Amida engi ; Fudo riyaku engi. Tokyo : Chuo
Koronsha, 1995.
(Call #: ND1053.4 .H69 1995)
Lee, Sherman E. Chinese landscape painting. [Cleveland] : Cleveland
Museum of Art;
distributed by Abrams [New York, 1962].
(Call #: ND1366 .L43 1962)
Liu, Yang. Fantastic mountains : Chinese landscape painting from the
Shanghai Museum = Ling shan : Shanghai bo wu guan cang Zhongguo Ming Qing
shan shui hua. Sydney : Art Gallery of New South Wales, c2004.
(Call #: ND1366.72 .L58 2004)
Sankei mandara to jisha engi : shuki tokubetsuten. Wakayaka : Wakayama
Shiritsu
Hakubutsukan, 2002.
(Call #: ND1432.J3 S26 2002)
Walmsley, Lewis Calvin. Wang Wei : the Painter-Poet. Rutland, Vt.
: Tuttle, 1968.
(Call #: ND1049.W33 W35 1968)
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