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Bamboo and Plum
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This painting of a white plum (or prunus) and bamboo was once part of a triptych. A central image of the demon-queller Zhong Kui was flanked by this painting and one of a red plum and bamboo. The paintings would have been suitable to hang after the turn of the new year, when Zhong Kui would drive out evil demons, and the year’s first flowers were in bloom. Sesson hailed from what is now Ibaraki prefecture in northern Honshu. A Zen monk, he spent much of his career in the Kanto region, and developed a distinctive style uninhibited by formal training in the Kano atelier.
| Artist / Maker | Sesson Shūkei |
|---|---|
| Date | 1500s |
| Culture / Origin | Japan, Muromachi period (1392–1573) |
| Medium | hanging scroll; ink on paper |
| Dimensions | Mounted: 198.1 x 60.4 cm (78 x 23 3/4 in.) |
| Department | Japanese Art |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
Sesson Shūkei (Japanese, c. 1492–c. 1577) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
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