Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Kano Tan’yū

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a painting of 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' by Kano Tan’yū. The painting is on a long, rectangular piece of paper or silk divided into six panels. The background shows a landscape with a body of water on the left side and a bamboo forest taking up most of the right side. Seven men, wearing traditional Asian robes and hats, are depicted in a line. The man on the far left wears a hat with a flat top and holds an umbrella. The next man has a long white beard and holds a guqin. The third man from the left appears to be a child. The next three men wear tall hats and hold canes or staffs. The man on the far right wears a conical hat. The painting features muted earth tones. The composition includes vertical bamboo stalks and trees. The men are positioned among the bamboo. The painting's edges have a decorative border. The overall style suggests a traditional East Asian painting. The title and artist are 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' by Kano Tan’yū.