Pine and Plum by Moonlight, Momoyama period (1573-1615). Kaihō Yūshō. One of a pair of six-fold screens: ink and slight color on paper. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.
In this painting, Kaihō Yūshō captures a tranquil moment before dawn when the hazy moon illuminates a valley. The artist used wet, broad brushstrokes—known as boneless-style and originally from China—to capture the misty atmosphere. In the space where the light and shadow intersect, the rocks and trees disappear into the mist.
Born to a samurai family, Yūshō spent the early stage of his life at a Zen Buddhist temple. When he was about forty years old, he returned to secular life and focused on painting.
