Mount Fuji and the Miho Pine Forest
Soga Shohaku
c. 1761-1762
Medium
Pair of six panel screens; ink and light colors on paper
Dimensions
157.5 × 362 cm (62 1/16 × 142 9/16 in.)
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
271417
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Japanese painter Soga Shōhaku created this scene over two folding screens, pairing a rising dragon with a forested landscape and the iconic Mount Fuji. A rare expression of this auspicious subject, this is the earliest and largest known version of the theme of Mount Fuji and the dragon together in one composition. Mount Fuji and its surrounding landscape is a quintessential symbol of Japan. The inclusion of a dragon is particularly meaningful, as homonyms in Japanese for “Fuji” and “dragon” comb...