Who painted Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen)?

Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen) was painted by Watanabe Shikō in 1704.

Where can I see Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen)?

Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen) is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen)?

Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen) is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen)

Watanabe Shikō , 1704

Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen) is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Watanabe Shikō. It dates from 1704 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

You see a tall folding screen covered in cherry, pine, and bamboo branches, each flower or needle painted with careful strokes.

You see a tall folding screen covered in cherry, pine, and bamboo branches, each flower or needle painted with careful strokes.

Shikō painted these plants so precisely that scholars think he studied real specimens. Yet he also added gold and silver dust to the leaves, making the screen shimmer in candlelight. The mix of science and sparkle was new in Kyoto at the time.

To see how other artists in Kyoto used gold leaf, look up the subject *japan, edo period (1615–1868)*.

Overview

This tall folding screen, titled *Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons*, presents a series of meticulously rendered cherry, pine, and bamboo branches. Each element is delineated with precise ink lines, while the foliage is accented with gold and silver dust that catches ambient light, creating a subtle shimmer across the surface.

Subject & Meaning

The composition showcases seasonal flora—cherry blossoms for spring, pine for winter, bamboo for summer—arranged to evoke the passage of time. By juxtaposing these botanical motifs, the work reflects a traditional Japanese appreciation of nature’s cyclical rhythms, inviting contemplation of the changing environment.

Technique & Style

The artist employed a blend of scientific observation and decorative embellishment. Fine brushwork captures the texture of leaves and flowers with botanical accuracy, suggesting direct study of live specimens. Over this realistic foundation, metallic powders are applied to the foliage, producing a luminous effect that was uncommon in Kyoto’s early Edo period.

History & Provenance

Created by Watanabe Shikō, whose interest in realistic plant illustration was encouraged by his patron Konoe Iehiro, the screen exemplifies the artist’s innovative synthesis of accuracy and ornamentation. The piece circulated among Kyoto’s artistic circles, influencing contemporaries who began to incorporate similar metallic treatments in their own works.

Artist & collection

Artist

Watanabe Shikō

Watanabe Shikō or Motooki (渡辺始興; 1683 - 5 September 1755) was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school. Also known by his common name Kyūma, his other art names included Shōken (松軒) and Soshin (素信).