Artwork preview

Sketch for a Painting of Scholars at the Game of Go

Kano Tan'yū

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A vertical, sepia-toned painting on paper or silk, depicting scholars playing the game of Go. The painting is surrounded by a dark brown frame with a patterned border. The scene shows a group of men sitting on rocks and under a tree. The men are dressed in traditional Asian robes. The background features mountains and a cloudy sky. The tree has bare branches and appears to be situated on a rocky outcropping. The overall composition is simple, with minimal color use, and focuses on the interaction between the scholars. The image includes Japanese characters written vertically on the right side.

Artwork Details

Date
dated 1666
Medium
Hanging scroll mounted as a panel; ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
334 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette