Artwork
The Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion (front); Geese among Reeds (back)
The Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion (front); Geese among Reeds (back) is an ink painting by the Impressionist artist Noguchi Shohin. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
This pair of six-panel screens, titled The Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion (front); Geese among Reeds (back), is a work by Noguchi Shohin, a prominent Japanese artist. The screens feature distinct paintings on their front and back sides, executed in different mediums and styles.
Subject & Meaning
The front depicts a gathering of scholars at the Orchid Pavilion during the Spring Purification Festival in 353 AD, a traditional Chinese event. The scene is set in a serene environment, with the participants engaged in poetry, music, and wine-drinking.
Technique & Style
The front is painted in ink, colors, and gold on silk, while the back features ink and silver on paper. The contrast between the formal, gold-ground spring scene on the front and the more informal, silver-ground autumn scene on the back creates a striking juxtaposition.
History & Provenance
Noguchi Shohin was born in Osaka and trained under Hine Taizan. She gained recognition for her landscape at the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago and was appointed official artist of the Imperial Household. The screens were displayed at a memorial exhibition organized by her daughter in 1929.
Artist & collection
