Colored Mountain Landscape Screen on Silk
Six-Panel Folding Screen
Basic Information
- Catalog ID: 201
- Item ID: 20
- Category: Paintings
- Country: Japan
- Period: Heian Period (794–1185)
- Date designated: June 9, 1951
- Prefecture: Kyoto
- Location: Chayamachi 527, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture (Kyoto National Museum)
- Owner: Agency for Cultural Affairs / National Research Institute of Culture
Source: Excerpted from the National Designated Cultural Properties Database (https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index)
Overview
The Colored Mountain Landscape Screen on Silk (kenpon chakushoku sansui byōbu) is one of the oldest surviving folding screen paintings in Japan, created during the Heian Period. It stands as a masterpiece of secular art (yamato-e, classical Japanese painting style), among the few such works remaining from that era. Because it was transmitted to Tōji Temple (Kyōō Kokuji) in Kyoto, it is also known by the alternative name “Tōji Screen.”
Historical Background
This screen was originally used as a decorative item to adorn the temple grounds during the denpō kanjō (ceremony for transmitting Buddhist teachings), a crucial ritual within esoteric Buddhism. While mountain landscape screens were typically secular items meant to decorate the residences of Heian nobles, it is believed that placing such a screen—which depicts scenes from the mundane world—within a sacred ceremonial space served to emphasize and highlight the spiritual nature of the location itself.
Features and Appeal
The greatest feature of this work is its style: while the subject matter draws inspiration from Chinese secluded philosophy (depicting scholars visiting hermits), the overall artistic execution is thoroughly Japanese, adhering to the yamato-e aesthetic.
- Gentle Scenery: Unlike the rugged mountain ranges seen in Tang Dynasty paintings, the screen depicts gentle, curved Japanese hills and placid waters, reflecting a distinctly local sensibility.
- Delicate Coloring: The piece showcases the elegant and soft color palette characteristic of the Heian Period. Seasonal transitions and natural tranquility are expressed through subtle coloring techniques.
- Figures and Customs: Figures—such as hermits engrossed in reading at a thatched hut in the center, nobles visiting them, and children working nearby—are vividly depicted. These scenes reflect the aesthetic values of Japanese people during that time.
- Historical Value: Since much of the painting from the Heian Period is religious Buddhist art, this screen is an irreplaceable relic. It preserves the depiction of secular landscape favored by the nobility, making it a profoundly important source for later folding screen paintings.