曽我二直庵筆 高士・柏鷹図|Daoist Sage and Hawk

Executed in monochrome ink on paper, the works employ minimal brushwork to suggest form and atmosphere. The gold background, textured with a fine grid, creates a luminous, non-representational space that isolates the figures. Sparse foliage and restrained lines emphasize economy of form, aligning with the aesthetic of suibokuga while retaining decorative elements typical of screen painting.

The pair was produced during the early Edo period by Soga Nichokuan, a painter active in the Soga school tradition. It entered the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art through documented acquisition, though its earlier provenance prior to the 20th century remains unrecorded in public sources.

Created during a time when Zen Buddhism and Daoist ideals influenced Japanese elite culture, these works reflect a broader trend of integrating scholarly and spiritual motifs into decorative arts. The use of gold grounds and fan shapes connects them to earlier Yamato-e traditions, while their simplicity aligns with emerging Edo-period tastes for restrained, meditative imagery.

Though not widely exhibited, the screen remains a representative example of early Edo religious painting that bridges Chinese philosophical themes with Japanese formal conventions. It contributes to scholarly understanding of how Daoist iconography was adapted in Japanese monastic and courtly contexts during the 17th century.