Painting study · Ink painting
The Bird's Nest Patriarchearly to mid-1600s · Study 1958.289
Tawaraya Sōtatsu (Japanese, c. 1570–c. 1640)
early to mid-1600s
Recorded as hanging scroll; ink on paper, this vertical work measures 38.7 × 95.8 cm using the museum’s image dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.
Museum collection reference. This work is not offered for sale by Physical Art For Crypto. Museum attribution does not imply a partnership or endorsement.
Context from the museum
Tawaraya Sōtatsu’s painting was inspired by a 1602 Chinese book that featured images of legendary Chinese Buddhist experts and Daoist sages. The monk portrayed here is Niaoge, which literally means “Bird’s Nest.” He was a Zen practitioner who favored the isolation of treetops, from which he offered advice to the perplexed. The posture of the single figure suggests a dialogue with someone below. Sōtatsu was a master of the “boneless” ( mokkotsu ), or un-outlined, style of ink painting that relies on layered pools of ink wash for effect.
Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.
A detail to notice
This painting is based on the 1602 illustrated publication Marvelous Traces of Immortals and Buddhas (Chinese: Xianfo qizong ).
Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Read the dimensions before the image
The selected image measurement for The Bird's Nest Patriarch is 38.7 cm wide and 95.8 cm high, equivalent to approximately 15.2 × 37.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.40:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.37 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 12.9% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 130.7 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 The Bird's Nest Patriarch in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, hanging scroll; ink on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.
- Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
- Would a 38.7 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?
Explore physical scale
How large would this format feel on your wall?
Use this museum work’s recorded format as a reference. Adjust a blank wall and optional frame allowance to compare proportions. The museum painting is an educational reference and is not for sale here.
Calculation: outside width = recorded width + twice your frame allowance. This is a proportion study, not an installation assessment. It excludes furniture, hardware, load capacity, depth and delivery clearance. The display image may include margins absent from the recorded measurement.
Compare formats with the studio collection
These Lei-Kol works have the closest width-to-height ratios in the current catalog. This is a geometry comparison, not a claim of artistic similarity, equivalent value, or association with the museum artist.
| Painting | Width × height | Format ratio | USD catalog price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheesecake | 24 × 48 in | 0.50:1 | $1,099 |
| Riptide | 24 × 48 in | 0.50:1 | $1,199 |
| Graffiti | 30 × 48 in | 0.63:1 | $2,199 |
Availability and delivery costs must be confirmed for the individual order.
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