East Asian Art Recumbent Bull Made in JapanEdo Period (1615-1868), c. 1775 Soga Shohaku, Japanese, 1730 - 1781 Ink on paper; mounted as a hanging scroll Currently not on view 1971-11-1 Purchased with the New Members Fund, 1971 |
LabelThis drawing of a recumbent bull suggests the legend of Sugawara Michizane, who was a gifted scholar. Because of the jealousy caused by his achievement, Michizane was exiled and died after two years of solitary life. On the way to the cemetery, the bull drawing the court carriage that contained the scholar's ashes suddenly stopped and refused to move. Seeing this as an omen, Michizane's retainers dug a grave and buried the scholar at this site, where they founded the temple of Tenjin in his honor. |
