Wind God and Thunder God Screens
by Ancient Japanese (Unknown), 1640
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- 1640
- Medium
- Ink, color, gold leaf on paper
- Size
- Each screen 169.8 cm × 154.5 cm
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The Wind God and Thunder God Screens depict Raijin (thunder god) and Fūjin (wind god) against luminous gold leaf backgrounds. Painted around 1640 by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, founder of the Rinpa school, these folding screens transform Japanese nature spirits into dynamic artistic compositions. The gods' muscular green and white bodies contrast dramatically with the brilliant gold ground.
Sōtatsu broke from Chinese-influenced painting traditions to create a distinctly Japanese decorative style. The bold silhouettes and flat color areas would influence Japanese design for centuries. Raijin beats his circle of drums to create thunder while Fūjin carries a bag of winds. Their placement at opposite ends of the paired screens creates dynamic tension across the composition.
The screens are a National Treasure of Japan, displayed at Kyoto National Museum.
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About Wind God and Thunder God Screens
The screens are at Kyoto National Museum. They are designated a National Treasure of Japan. This ink, color, gold leaf on paper work is part of their permanent collection.
Tawaraya Sōtatsu painted them around 1640. He founded the Rinpa school, which emphasized bold decorative designs on gold backgrounds You can see it at Kyoto National Museum.
Each two-panel screen measures 169.8 × 154.5 cm. The substantial size suited their function as decorative room dividers. This ink, color, gold leaf on paper work dates to 1640.
Raijin (thunder god) beats drums to create storms, while Fūjin (wind god) carries a bag of winds. These Japanese nature spirits appear throughout Japanese art.
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