| Home Page |

Clams

	Object Type	19th Century Japanese Scroll
	Artist	Kiitsu
	Period	Late Edo
	Materials	Color on Silk Scroll
	Creation Date	ca. 1850
	Dimensions	34.8 cm. x 29 cm. (13 3/4 in. x 11 3/8 in.)

Commentary

When purchased in 1971, no one in Japan could understand why someone would want such an insignificant painting as this, even though it was a masterpiece of craftsmanship and imagination. Kiitsu must have seen a Western still life and tried to represent the same feeling in his own technique. The ribs in these clams are not carefully and slowly sketched in; they are each drawn in one single stroke of the brush, without guides, without the chance to correct. The skill required to execute such a tour-de-force is almost beyond imagination. This painting proves that Kiitsu is one of the greatest of all artists.- JDP The theme of this painting is seashells and plums (aoume) on branches, painted on a size close to shikishi. Depicted are four Japanese favorite seashells, akagai, hamaguri, asari, and shijimi with plums with green leaves. The prototype of this painting is of the still life from the middle of the Muromachi period, which was influenced by that of a seashells theme from the Song and Yuan dynasties. When Kiitsu saw this type of painting, he added a seasonal fruit of plum (aoume) to seashells, and created a painting which indicates an early summer. This painting reminds us of a cool summer drink. (Nakamura)