Kanzan
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Ink |
| Current Location: | National Museum of Asian Art (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, D.C., USA |
| Location History: | Kanzan was painted by Kao Ninga during the Kamakura period (13th century). The hanging scroll later became part of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art (formerly the Freer Gallery of Art), where it is preserved and exhibited as an important example of early Japanese Zen ink painting. |
The painting shows a single male figure, seen mostly from the back, with his head turned to glance over his left shoulder toward the viewer. His hair is wild and unkempt, rendered in quick, scratchy black ink strokes that stick out in different directions, with a small topknot visible. His face is only partly shown in profile a simple, sketchy rendering of an eye, nose, and a faint smile.He's wearing layered, loose-fitting robes painted mostly in pale, washed-out grey-black ink with minimal detail the outer robe falls open and twists around his body in soft, sweeping lines, while a darker sash or cord with a tassel hangs down near his waist. His feet are bare, and his pose is twisted torso angled one way, head turned the other giving him a sense of movement, as if he's been caught mid-turn rather than posed still.The background is almost entirely bare, blank silk with no landscape, scenery, or other figures. A red square signature mark appears in the lower right corner near his feet.The scroll itself is mounted with decorative borders: a teal-green patterned fabric runs down both sides, and strips of gold brocade with a scrolling floral motif appear at the very top and bottom of the mounting.