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Bull

(Black and White) Screen - One of Pair

	Object Type	18th Century Japanese Screen Six Panel
	Artist	Rosetsu
	Period	Edo (18th century)
	Materials	Sumi on Paper (one of pair)
	Creation Date	ca.1790
	Dimensions	156 cm. x 364.4 cm. (61 3/8 in. x 143 1/2 in.)

Commentary

These two screens show Rosetsu's magnificent talent. Nothing like them has been painted before, and with the demise of the skill and training needed to produce Edo paintings, they will surely never be produced again. You feel the ring in the bull's nose actually lifting the nostrils. Though the screen was photographed flat, when it is standing in its regular way the folds in the screen actually give it a third dimension. The head bends around the final panel and seems to come directly toward the viewer. Every panel in this screen presents a perfectly composed picture. Though perhaps not visually comprehensible, each single panel is nonetheless beautifully balanced as a composition. Notice for instance the third panel from the right of the bull's shoulder; this could actually hang as a very beautiful impressionistic composition. Even though every single panel is carefully composed, every pair of panels becomes even more of a perfect composition. This is required because every second panel bends backward and therefore makes a larger crack in the painting. The reason for the emphasis on individual panel composition is that when the screen is standing in the folded position, the cracks then become a part of the painting instead of a detraction. To follow these rules in a large detailed painting is difficult enough, but to do so with a large, spontaneous brush is purely magnificent. The theme of the bull and the puppy being sheltered by his immense friend must have been a very pleasant subject. - JDP The head, nose and frontal legs of an elephant are at the left corner in the right screen, having the most of the body outside the screen. Two small birds are on the back of the elephant. The artist maximized the space to indicate the gigantic size of the elephant. Contrasting effects of the white elephant and small black birds also enhanced the enormous size of the elephant. A large bull lies facing right in the left screen. Again the artist extended the back of the bull to the outside of the screen, and indicated the enormity of the bull.. A placement of a little white dog in front of the black bull increases the sense of largeness of the bull. This painting is organized on contrasts in mind. The elephant and the bull face each other. The elephant's "stillness" verses the bull's "action," the white elephant contrasts black bull, and the black birds contrast the white dog. The birds and animals are humorously contrasted. Though Nagasawa Rosetsu studied under Maruyama Okyo, his art has more wit and individualistic quality. We do not know the extent of the truth, but there is a story that he was expelled from the Maruyama Okyo school. Aside from the rumors, there is certainly a stylistic difference between the two. Contrary to Okyo's conservative art, Rosetsu's is bold. This painting epitomizes the characteristic of Rosetsu's art. He was about forty when Bull and Elephant was painted. Both screens have signatures, "Rosetsu sha" and seals of "Gyo" in red letters. (Sasaki)