Portrait of Kō Sūkokupossibly 1817 · Study 1976.8

Context from the museum

Master of portraiture Watanabe Kazan’s memorial fan painting of the artist Kō Sūkoku (1730–1804) features a variant on one of the deceased’s poems by painter Tani Bunchō on the reverse. The short, unorthodox or comic poem ( haikai ) reads: The grave is readied / and the sake warmed. / Oh, the cold! Kazan was a disciple of Tani Bunchō, one of the most prominent painters of his day. The two first met in 1817, the year of the 13th anniversary of Kō Sūkoku’s death. In Japanese Buddhist practice, the 13th death anniversary requires special memorial services, so it has been speculated that the two collaborated on the fan at that time. Many painters and print designers of the Edo period socialized with one another through poetry circles where linked verse poems ( renga ) and haikai were composed.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Portrait of Kō Sūkoku is 45.7 cm wide and 17.8 cm high, equivalent to approximately 18.0 × 7.0 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 2.57:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.08 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 15.2% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 127.2 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Portrait of Kō Sūkoku in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Fan, wood with ink, color, gold, and silver on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 45.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?