Herons
Data
| Artist | By Liang Kai |
|---|---|
| Period | China, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century |
| Materials and techniques | Hanging scroll, ink on silk |
| Size | W. 24.9 |
Explanation
Liang Kai was invited to the Imperial Academy during the Jiatai period (1201–04) and received a golden belt. This work depicts rocks and water with abbreviated brush strokes and the effect of the beautiful gradation of ink on the bottom left-hand is remarkable. Two herons are seen on either side of reeds depicted with sharp horizontal strokes. One bird is resting by the water and the other is flying full alert. This picture is included in “Tōhaku gasetsu”, a collection of Hasegawa Tōhaku’s view on art and it appears again in the record of the tea ceremony held on September 23rd, 1561 chronicled by Sōtatsu.