高井鴻山筆 妖怪図|Demons and Monsters
The Met
Artist: Takai Kōzan 高井鴻山(Japanese, 1806–1883)
Date: ca. 1870s
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Hanging scroll;
Dimensions: Image: 51 15/16 × 26 3/8 in. (132 × 67 cm) Overall with mounting: 82 5/16 × 33 1/4 in. (209 × 84.5 cm) Overall with knobs: 82 5/16 × 35 3/4 in. (209.1 × 90.8 cm)
Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2022
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A crowded scene of human and monstrous figures in a mountainous landscape
Detailed Description
A vertical ink wash painting, rendered in black ink on light-colored paper, depicts a dense gathering of diverse figures within a mountainous landscape. In the upper right, a small village with thatched-roof huts is nestled into a hillside, with mountains rising in the background. Sparse trees are visible near the village. To the right of the village, vertical black ink text is present, followed by two red square seals. The upper-mid section features several large figures. On the left, a spiky-haired, round-faced figure with a wide grin sits, looking towards a bearded, human-like figure with a prominent nose and open mouth, who is seated at a low table with an open book. To their right, another figure with a covered head reads from a small book, while an adjacent figure holds a large fan. Below this central group, the scene becomes more crowded. A large, round-eyed, whiskered creature with a beak-like mouth is on the far left. Further right, a figure rides a small, shaggy animal. Numerous other figures, some with animalistic features like beaks or horns, are scattered throughout, engaged in various activities, including looking at books or scrolls. The lowest part of the image shows smaller figures, some appearing as children or imps, amidst swirling lines that suggest water or clouds. A bird-like creature is also visible at the very bottom right. The figures are rendered with expressive brushstrokes, varying in thickness and intensity.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
