Untitled
The Met
Artist: Sesson Shūkei 雪村周継(ca. 1504–ca. 1589)
Date: ca. 1570
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Pair of six-panel screens; ink on paper
Dimensions: Image (each screen): 62 in. x 11 ft. 5 in. (157.5 x 348 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers Fund and The Vincent Astor Foundation, Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation, and Florence and Herbert Irving Gifts, 1992
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Six-panel ink painting depicting monkeys climbing trees and rocks in a misty landscape
Detailed Description
A natural landscape featuring monkeys, trees, and rock formations unfolds across a wide, horizontal composition. The monochromatic palette uses various shades of grey and black ink against a warm, light beige ground. The composition flows continuously across the panels. On the far left, a tall, craggy rock or tree trunk rises vertically, with three monkeys clinging to its surface. One monkey is near the top, looking right, while another below it faces left with an extended limb. A third monkey is positioned lower down. Below these, a rocky base with sparse, bamboo-like foliage is visible. The central area features a more open, misty expanse. In the upper central area, a bare, gnarled tree branch extends downwards and to the right. Two monkeys hang from this branch, one above the other, both facing generally right. Their forms are softly rendered. The rightmost area is dominated by a large tree with thick, twisted branches. Two more monkeys are nestled within its branches, one higher and one lower, appearing to cling or sit. Sparse, needle-like foliage is visible on some branches and at the base of the tree, which rests on an uneven, rocky ground with small plants. The entire scene is unified by the soft, atmospheric quality of the ink wash, suggesting mist or fog.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
