Artwork
Spring and Autumn Farming
Spring and Autumn Farming is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Kō Sūkoku. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Spring and Autumn Farming, painted by Kō Sūkoku in 1774, is a double‑panel work that depicts rural activity across two narrow horizontal scenes.
Spring and Autumn Farming, painted by Kō Sūkoku in 1774, is a double‑panel work that depicts rural activity across two narrow horizontal scenes. The upper panel presents workers along a riverbank, tending fields and moving along pathways, while the lower panel expands the village setting with thatched roofs, baskets, and plowing. A backdrop of trees, hills and distant mountains unifies the composition, rendered in a restrained palette of soft, muted tones.
Subject & Meaning
The painting records the cyclical labor of agrarian life, juxtaposing spring planting with autumn harvest. Figures are shown engaged in everyday tasks—fishing, fence repair, carrying produce—illustrating the continuity of communal effort throughout the year. By presenting both seasons side by side, the work underscores the rhythm of the agricultural calendar and the interdependence of human activity and the natural landscape.
Technique & Style
Kō Sūkoku employs fine, linear brushwork to render minute details, allowing individual gestures such as a hand casting a net or a foot stepping on a path to be discerned. The composition relies on flattened perspective and subtle gradations of ink and watercolor, creating a calm yet bustling atmosphere. The muted colour scheme and delicate shading emphasize the serene quality of the countryside while maintaining narrative clarity.
History & Provenance
Created in the late eighteenth century, Spring and Autumn Farming entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. The work reflects the ukiyo‑e tradition of genre painting that documented everyday Japanese life, and its acquisition has contributed to the museum’s representation of Edo‑period visual culture.
Artist & collection
