Artwork
Duck in Flight
Duck in Flight is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Shikibu Terutada. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around the middle of the sixteenth century, this ink painting by Shikaku Terutada portrays a solitary duck captured in the act of soaring. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of Japanese monochrome brushwork from the period.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a duck with its wings fully extended, suggesting a moment of decisive lift. The bird’s poised posture and the surrounding foliage hint at a natural setting, inviting contemplation of the fleeting instant when a creature transitions from stillness to flight.
Technique & Style
Executed in black ink on paper, the composition relies on varying brush pressures to render the duck’s plumage and the delicate grasses behind it. The stark contrast between dark outlines and lighter washes creates a sense of depth and motion, while the minimal palette emphasizes the artist’s control of line and tonal modulation.
History & Provenance
The painting dates to approximately 1550, a time when ink monochrome works were popular among Japanese literati. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through a 20th‑century acquisition, though earlier ownership records remain limited, reflecting the typical circulation of such works among private collectors before entering public institutions.
Context
Terutada worked during the Muromachi period, when Chinese-inspired ink painting was adapted to Japanese aesthetic sensibilities. Depictions of birds in flight were a common motif, symbolizing freedom and the transitory nature of life, aligning the work with contemporary poetic and philosophical themes.
Artist & collection
