Tenjin Crossing to China

Kitano Tenjin is turned slightly, departing from the formal, frontal pose typical of early representations of this subject. He is dressed as a Chinese scholar and holds the plum branch to one side in a relaxed gesture, and his facial expression is gentle and humane.

In an inscribed wooden storage box, which also contains two identically-inscribed pieces of light green paper and a white inscribed piece of paper.

Maker(s)
Artist: Sesshin (late 15th century)
Historical period(s)
Muromachi period, late 15th century
Medium
Ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 74.5 × 29.6 cm (29 5/16 × 11 5/8 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment and funds provided by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1983.8
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Hanging scroll

Keywords
Japan, kakemono, Muromachi period (1333 - 1573), portrait, scholar
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Kitano Tenjin is turned slightly, departing from the formal, frontal pose typical of early representations of this subject. He is dressed as a Chinese scholar and holds the plum branch to one side in a relaxed gesture, and his facial expression is gentle and humane.

In an inscribed wooden storage box, which also contains two identically-inscribed pieces of light green paper and a white inscribed piece of paper.

Inscription(s)

In the upper corner is a poem that reads: "If there is sincerity of mind, even without prayers, the gods will provide protection."

Sesshin's signature and seal appear in the lower right corner

Label

This is an imagined portrait of Sugawara no Michizane (845–902), a scholar, courtier, and government official who is best remembered for his skill at composing poetry in Chinese.  Dressed as a Chinese scholar and grasping a branch of flowering plum, Michizane dreams of traveling to China.  Although Michizane was slandered by both political and academic rivals and died in exile, he was later deified as Tenjin (Heavenly Being) and worshipped by generations of aspiring poets, scholars, and calligraphers.  Throughout Japan, people visit shrines to Tenjin on the twenty-fifth day of each month, but especially on February 25, celebrated as Tenjin's birthday, when the plum trees are in bloom.

Published References
  • Robert Borgen. Sugawara no Michizane and the Early Heian Court., Pbk. ed. Honolulu. .
  • Smithsonian Year 1984. Washington. p. 187.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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