Winter Landscape

The work of Sesshu marks an important juncture in the historical development of Japanese ink painting. A Zen monk who had trained in China, Sesshu was remarkably adept at a wide range of ink styles. His approach to painting engendered a shift await from the use of brush methods associated with one artist or model to a less specific, reified concept of style that focused on the calligraphic basis of brush strokes. For this reason, he has been highly regarded and studied by generations of Japanese artists.

Unlike many of the other scrolls in the Smart Museum’s collection, this painting is thought to be a student copy. While forgeries are intended to deceive the viewer, study pieces such as this were most likely done by a student as an exercise in painting practice. Directly copying masterworks or creating works in the style of a particular master was a widespread practice throughout East Asia. In the seventeenth century, a revived interest in Sesshu produced an abundance of works that followed his approach to ink painting. It was only later when the value of Sesshu’s art became so high, that the signature and seal of Sesshu were added as a way of increasing the value of this painting.