Immortal Poet 17th century

Curator: Here we have Kano Shōsun's "Immortal Poet" from the 17th century, residing here at the Met. Isn't it a marvel how such a delicate piece survives? Editor: There’s a quiet melancholy to it, almost like looking at a fading memory. The colors are so muted; you can almost smell the dust of centuries clinging to the ink. It looks as though this image was constructed with painstaking care through transparent watercolour layers with soft but precise lines that help add form and detail to the figure Curator: Indeed. Shōsun masterfully utilizes ink and watercolor on paper. It's fascinating to consider the labor involved. Imagine grinding your own inks, preparing the delicate paper… a testament to dedicated craftsmanship. What do you suppose he’s thinking? Is that an intentional melancholy? Editor: Well, the pose certainly contributes. It's a relaxed, almost defeated slump. We often focus on the 'genius' of the artist, but look closer at the materials, the paper itself – likely handmade, a valuable commodity then. The pigments sourced from specific locations. All tell a story of trade routes, resource access, and of course artistic skill. This wasn’t just “inspiration,” it was access and learned skills within a structured context. I wonder what other artwork and tools this artist may have developed over his career? Curator: An exquisite point, indeed, thinking about it more concretely! He is surrounded by weapons, a warrior. I do tend to ponder the person Shōsun was immortalizing and Yamato-e— that quest to illustrate stories and important cultural figures. And how we read portraiture through the ages. Editor: The sword there also highlights that access to metals was quite an act of economic influence in that era, as this suggests the status of this "Immortal Poet". It definitely changes the viewing experience of understanding more about these material means that enabled artwork like this to flourish! Curator: Ultimately, gazing at this man across centuries, framed in vulnerable brushstrokes… one feels a pang of our own transience too, perhaps? I really do love those small touches of colour near the weapons as well as in the uniform! Editor: Precisely. And the choices available, like, 'how to best present someone of wealth and access?'. This exploration really shifts how we attribute credit for what this portrait represents.