Twelve Seasons Tanzaku, album, Matsumura Keibun

Exhibition Label: "Japanese Buddhist Art," Sep-2009, Kris Ercums Matsumura Keibun was a key figure in the Kyoto school of painting known as the Shijō school. While based on the close study of nature advocated by his teacher Maruyama Okyo, Keibun together with his brother Goshun fostered a softer, more intimate approach to naturalism. In this album, Keibun pairs birds and flowers to represent each of the twelve months in the yearly cycle. Seasonal depictions such as this are a pervasive theme in Japanese painting. Archive Label date unknown: Keibun was a leading Shijō school artist in Kyoto, known for his gentle and appealing depictions of birds and flowers. Here his paintings on the tall, narrow tanzaku format are mounted in an album that resembles a folding screen. Moving from right to left, he has painted well-known seasonal motifs to represent each of the twelve months. Blossoming plums in February signal the end of winter and the coming of spring. Autumn is represented by bush clover, maple leaves, and chrysanthemums. The seasons play an important role in Japanese culture, especially in painting and literature.