Anthology with Cranes

This famous anthology combines some of the finest calligraphy of Hon'ami Koetsu with the brilliant, quintessential painting of Tawaraya Sotatsu, active from 1602 to 1635. The central design motif is cranes, painted in gold and silver. Individually and in flocks, at rest and in flight, these cranes cover the entire length of the scroll. The brush strokes are simple but the shape of the cranes is elegant. The supurb handling of a limited design motif in this anthology reveals the cutting-edge originality of Tawaraya Sotatsu.

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.