An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Blue-green landscape on gold-flecked ground1827
Artist: Urakami Shunkin
Japanese, 1779 - 1846
gold-flecked silk ground; landscape with mountains at top, building in middle and calm water at bottom; inscription and two seals, URC
46 1/4 x 16 7/16 in. (117.48 x 41.75 cm) (image)
76 5/8 x 22 15/16 in. (194.63 x 58.26 cm) (overall, without roller)
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
hanging scroll
Japan
19th century
The Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fund
In the quiet folds of Japan's artistic history, a remarkable figure emerges, woven into the fabric of culture and tradition. Urakami Shunkin, the eldest son of the venerable painter Urakami Gyokudō—renowned as the finest artist of Okayama—began his journey in a world painted with the colors of legacy and expectation. Born in a small town, his early years were filled with the whispers of his father’s brush grazing the canvas, a sound both haunting and beautiful.
At the tender age of sixteen, with dreams painted vividly in his mind, Shunkin gathered his hopes and set forth from the familiar landscapes of Okayama. The path led him to Kyoto, a city pulsating with artistic fervor, where brush strokes danced in harmony with the vibrant spirit of creation. It was here, in the heart of this cultural hub, that Shunkin found his canvas, a place where every alley echoed stories of ancient masters and every sunset splashed hues of inspiration across the horizon.
In a world where many Nanga painters leaned heavily on the works of past legends, Shunkin took a different route. He ventured into the realms of reality, wielding his brush not as a mere tool, but as a window to his observations. His sketches, filled with the dynamics of life, became the core of his creations. With each stroke, he infused a piece of the world around him, transforming the ordinary into extraordinary art that breathed the essence of existence itself.
Shunkin’s legacy is not only about the art he created but also about the paths he carved—his influence spreading like ripples across the canvas of time. Through his eyes, the vibrancy of life was not just seen; it was celebrated, magnifying the beauty hidden in the mundane. Thus, with each work, he whispered to the universe, inviting others to recognize the stories that lay beneath the surface, waiting patiently to be told.
About the artist
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