Mount Penglai
In Chinese mythology, the island shrouded by water and clouds represents the habitat of the immortals, Mount Penglai—known in the Japanese tradition as Mount Hōrai. In ink with soft brushstrokes, Kondō Kōichiro interpreted the subject as a mountainous islet emerging from the mist and illuminated by the sun on the horizon.
Kōichiro was known for pushing the boundaries of the medium. Although his training was in Western-style oil painting, he also pursued a successful career as a cartoonist and illustrator, producing humorous woodblock prints. His travels in Japan, China, and Europe served as inspiration for his art. He eventually abandoned a purely Western approach to painting in favor of an ink practice incorporating certain aspects of Western technique.
Kōichiro was known for pushing the boundaries of the medium. Although his training was in Western-style oil painting, he also pursued a successful career as a cartoonist and illustrator, producing humorous woodblock prints. His travels in Japan, China, and Europe served as inspiration for his art. He eventually abandoned a purely Western approach to painting in favor of an ink practice incorporating certain aspects of Western technique.
Artwork Details
- 近藤浩一路筆 「蓬莱仙山」
- Title: Mount Penglai
- Artist: Kondō Kōichiro (Japanese, 1884–1962)
- Period: Shōwa period (1926–1989)
- Date: late 1920s
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 22 9/16 × 35 1/16 in. (57.3 × 89 cm)
Overall with mounting: 71 1/4 × 45 1/2 in. (181 × 115.5 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2019
- Object Number: 2019.420.42
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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