Willow Bridge and Water Wheel (Uji Bridge) left of a pair, second half 16th century, Unknown Japanese, 52 3/4 x 126 7/8 in. (133.99 x 322.26 cm) (image)56 1/4 x 132 3/16 in. (142.88 x 335.76 cm) (overall, unfolded), Ink, color, gold, and silver on paper, Japan, 16th century, Clouds and mist—rendered variously in gold foil, gold paint, powdered gold, and cut gold—have just parted, revealing the great span of a golden bridge but still masking its ends. At left a waterwheel turns in the river, its waves painted in silver (now tarnished to lustrous gray). Crossing this otherworldly bridge, one experiences a subtle seasonal change: the leaves of the twisting silver willows shift from the delicate leaves of mid-spring to mature leaves of late summer. The screens allude to the famous bridge over the Uji River near Kyoto, which inspired Japanese poets soon after it was built in the 600s. Paintings of the Uji Bridge decorated palaces by the 900s and remained popular for the next thousand years. With their dramatic vantage point, bold design, and shimmering metallic pigments, these luminous screens—typical of the dynamism and opulence of Momoyama-period art—represent the peak of that development.
Keywords:
Willow Bridge, Water Wheel, Uji Bridge, left, pair, second half 16th century, Unknown Japanese, image, overall, unfolded, Ink, color, gold, silver, paper, Japan, 16th century, Clouds, mist—rendered variously, gold foil, gold paint, powdered gold, cut gold—, parted, revealing, great span, golden bridge, masking, ends, left, waterwheel turns, river, waves painted, silver, now tarnished, lustrous gray, Crossing, otherworldly bridge, experiences, subtle seasonal change, leaves, twisting silver willows shift, delicate leaves, mid-spring, mature leaves, late summer, screens allude, famous bridge, Uji River, Kyoto, inspired Japanese poets soon, built, 600s, Paintings, Uji Bridge decorated palaces, 900s, remained popular, next thousand years, dramatic vantage point, bold design, shimmering metallic pigments, luminous screens—typical, dynamism, opulence, Momoyama-period art—represent, peak, development
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