The Four Accomplishments — Kano Shōei (Japanese, 1519–1592) — The Cleveland Museum of Art · John L. Severance Fund · CC0. Museum object record ↗

Painting study · Ink painting

The Four Accomplishmentslate 1500s–early 1600s · Study 1979.46

Kano Shōei (Japanese, 1519–1592)
late 1500s–early 1600s

Recorded as pair of six-panel folding screens; ink and slight color on paper, this horizontal work measures 358.6 × 153 cm using the museum’s painting dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.

Explore its scale ↓Shop Lei-Kol paintings

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

This pair of screens shows a group of elite Chinese gentlemen and their servants in the countryside. One man is considering his painting in progress, while another looks on as two of his companions play a board game called qi , known in Japan as Go. Nearby is a table set with a selection of books ready to be read and a qin , a type of stringed instrument, still wrapped in its cloth case waiting to be played. The mood is one of enjoyment balanced with formality. Historically, playing the qin and qi along with practicing or admiring calligraphy and painting were considered four skills essential for cultured men in China.

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

A detail to notice

Another candidate for authorship of these screens is Kano Yukinobu (c. 1513–1575).

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for The Four Accomplishments is 358.6 cm wide and 153 cm high, equivalent to approximately 141.2 × 60.2 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 2.34:1. The rectangular bounding area is 5.49 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 119.5% of the span before adding a frame. That exceeds the example wall width, so a smaller reference wall would not reproduce the recorded scale. 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 Four Accomplishments in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, pair of six-panel folding screens; ink and slight color on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
Would a 358.6 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.

Units

Wall width (cm)

Wall height (cm)

Frame each side (cm)

119.5%of wall width, including allowance

358.6 × 153.0 cmmodeled outside dimensions

Exceeds the entered wall dimensionsThe painting extends beyond the pale wall rectangle.

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.