What movement is 四季花野菜図屏風|Flowering Plants and Vegetables of the Four Seasons?

四季花野菜図屏風|Flowering Plants and Vegetables of the Four Seasons is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

四季花野菜図屏風|Flowering Plants and Vegetables of the Four Seasons

四季花野菜図屏風|Flowering Plants and Vegetables of the Four Seasons is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1716 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of two six‑panel folding screens, each painted on paper with ink, subtle pigments and gold leaf.

About this work

Overview

The work consists of two six‑panel folding screens, each painted on paper with ink, subtle pigments and gold leaf. Arranged in three pairs, the panels present a series of botanical studies rendered on a light gold ground. The composition balances delicate foliage, blossoms and occasional birds or insects, offering a seasonal survey of cultivated plants.

Subject & Meaning

Each pair of panels is intended to represent a different season, illustrating the variety of flowers and vegetables cultivated throughout the year. The careful depiction of leaves, stems and blossoms emphasizes the cyclical nature of agricultural life, while the inclusion of small fauna suggests the interdependence of flora and the surrounding environment.

Technique & Style

The artist employed fine ink line work combined with soft washes of green, pink and blue, building form through cross‑hatching and layered pigments. Gold leaf applied to the background creates a luminous substrate that enhances the translucency of the colors. The overall style reflects a refined, decorative approach typical of Japanese screen painting in the Edo period.

History & Provenance

The screens were designed to be foldable, allowing both sides to be displayed and each side to convey a distinct seasonal theme. While the exact date and creator remain unidentified, the materials and execution align with courtly or high‑ranking household commissions of the 17th–18th centuries, when such seasonal motifs were popular in interior decoration.