Who painted 久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake?

久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake was painted by Kusumi Morikage in 1655.

Where can I see 久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake?

久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake?

久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake

Kusumi Morikage , 1655

久隅守景筆西湖図屏風|View of West Lake is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Kusumi Morikage. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of two six‑panel folding screens painted with ink and color on paper, depicting a tranquil lakeside landscape.

About this work

Overview

The work consists of two six‑panel folding screens painted with ink and color on paper, depicting a tranquil lakeside landscape.

The work consists of two six‑panel folding screens painted with ink and color on paper, depicting a tranquil lakeside landscape. Executed in 1655 by the Japanese painter Kusumi Morikage, the screens present a panoramic view of West Lake, with gentle hills, modest structures, and a solitary boat drifting amid mist. The composition is rendered in muted earth tones, greens and blues, creating a calm, atmospheric scene.

Subject & Meaning

The screens illustrate a serene lakeside setting where low hills rise behind a reflective water surface. Small pavilions and dwellings cluster near the shore, while trees line the banks, suggesting a harmonious relationship between human habitation and nature. A lone boat glides across the lake, evoking a sense of quiet travel and contemplation within the mist‑shrouded landscape.

Technique & Style

Morikage employs delicate, layered line work to define forms, using fine cross‑hatching to suggest volume in the hills while keeping foliage light and airy. The ink washes are combined with subtle color washes, allowing the terrain to recede into atmospheric perspective. The overall effect balances solidity in the terrain with a translucent quality in the sky and water.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑17th century, the pair of screens entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they are displayed as an example of Japanese screen painting. Their provenance traces back to the Edo period, reflecting the period’s interest in Chinese-inspired landscape motifs and the technical mastery of court painters such as Morikage.