Aoki Shukuya (1737-1802), The Red Cliff after Wen Zhengming (detail)

The exhibition begins with a selection of Japanese paintings inspired by our particular fascination with an 18th-century painting by the Japanese artist Aoki Shukuya. Shukuya created his “Red Cliff'' after a painting of the subject by one of China’s most celebrated Ming literati painters, Wen Zhengming. Wen’s painting had been inspired by an iconic prose-poem written by the peerless Su Shi of the Northern Song in which Su recounts an autumn boating excursion to a historic Han dynasty site on the Yangzi River.

Not only was Shukuya’s painting a perfect confluence of forces and forms across time and space, deeply meaningful in our field, but it also suggested a perfect way for us to reflect on autumn, with further Japanese works celebrating the season. The Chinese paintings are all from the Ming dynasty, honoring Wen’s role, whereas the works of art were chosen to spark and provide interest and enjoyment. At a time when we would like to travel more than we are able, we are grateful for the artists who invite us on this autumn excursion through their works and the wider world of our imaginations.

To view the exhibition click here