Untitled
The Met
Artist: Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎(Japanese, 1831–1889)
Date: ca. 1887
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Album leaf; ink and color on silk
Dimensions: 14 1/4 x 10 1/2 in. (36.2 x 26.7 cm)
Credit Line: Charles Stewart Smith Collection, Gift of Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Charles Stewart Smith Jr., and Howard Caswell Smith, in memory of Charles Stewart Smith, 1914
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Children with water buffalo in shallow water, beneath a large tree with many drooping branches
Detailed Description
This monochrome ink painting depicts children and water buffalo within a watery landscape, dominated by a large, gnarled tree. The artwork is rendered primarily in shades of gray and black, with subtle variations in ink wash creating depth and texture. The upper half of the painting is dominated by a massive tree with a thick, twisted trunk and branches that curve downwards. Its numerous long, slender branches cascade downwards, forming a dense curtain of foliage that extends across the top and down the right side of the composition. Below this tree, a wide, shallow body of water or muddy ground stretches across the middle and lower sections, interspersed with patches of tall, spiky grass. Scattered throughout this watery environment are at least ten water buffalo. They are depicted in various poses: some are walking, some are standing, and some appear to be partially submerged. Their bodies are rendered with strong ink lines and washes, and prominent horns are visible. Five small children are visible. In the upper left, one child stands atop a buffalo. Another child wades in the water in the lower left, holding a long stick. A third child walks alongside a buffalo in the center-left, also with a stick. In the lower right, a child sits or kneels near the base of a gnarled tree root, holding a stick. A fifth child is partially visible in the upper right, near a buffalo. Faint, undulating lines in the distant background suggest hills or landforms. In the upper left corner, vertical black text is present, accompanied by two red square seals.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
