Geese and Reeds late 17th-early 18th century

This hanging scroll, *Geese and Reeds*, was made by Kano Tsunenobu in Japan during the Edo period. It's ink on paper, a seemingly simple set of materials, but with a long and refined cultural history. The scroll format itself speaks to a specific mode of display, intimately connected with the architecture of Japanese homes, and also to the meditative practices of calligraphy and painting. Look closely and you can see the artist's brushstrokes, the delicate gradations of ink tone achieved by controlling the amount of water and pressure. The geese are captured with remarkable economy of means, their forms emerging from the blank space of the paper. Consider the labor involved in preparing the ink, grinding the inkstick on a stone, and the skilled hand required to execute these deceptively simple lines. This is a work that invites us to appreciate the profound connection between materials, making, and the cultural values embedded within them.