宇治製茶之図|Illustrations of Uji Tea Production 宇治製茶之図 (Uji sei-cha no zu)
The Met
Artist: Saitō Motonari 斎藤玄就|Monk Nindō Sōen 忍道宗延(Japanese, active early 19th century)
Date: 1803
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Handscroll of thirty-two sheets reformatted as a folding album (orihon)
Dimensions: Orihon; image: 12 5/8 in. × 54 ft. 3/4 in. (32.1 × 1647.8 cm) Overall: 12 5/8 in. × 57 ft. 5 1/4 in. (32.1 × 1750.7 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2023
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Numerous figures harvesting and processing tea leaves under thatched roofs
Detailed Description
This image depicts a bustling scene of tea harvesting and processing, featuring numerous figures engaged in various tasks. Several thatched roof structures divide the scene, extending diagonally from the top edges towards the center. On the left side, several women are shown amidst lush green tea bushes, picking leaves. They wear kimonos in shades of brown, orange, and blue, often with white or patterned head coverings. Below them, two men are seated on the ground, processing leaves. One man in a dark brown kimono holds a small bowl, while another in a blue patterned kimono works over a large, cylindrical container wrapped in bamboo, filled with green leaves. A second similar container sits nearby. In the central area, more women are picking leaves from the dense green bushes. A tall, slender pole supports one of the thatched roofs, and a young woman in a dark patterned kimono with a red sash peeks out from behind it, under the roof's edge. Towards the right, an open pathway leads away from the tea bushes. Two figures, both in blue kimonos, walk towards the right edge; one carries a small child on their back. In the lower right corner, two men appear to be engaged with documents. One man, standing in a blue striped kimono and a brown outer garment, holds a sheet of paper. Next to him, a man kneels, opening a black lacquered box that contains several books or scrolls. The overall color palette includes various greens for the foliage, with earth tones, blues, browns, oranges, and purples for the clothing and structures. Some vertical script is visible in the lower right corner.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
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