Summer Mountains, Clear Autumn Weather

This work by female painter Noguchi Shohin shows the persistence of the literati school into the early twentieth century. A scholar in blue leans comfortably against the railing of a rustic pavilion while savoring the sound of water splashing down from a rocky precipice. Far above, a bridge straddles the top of the waterfall and leads to two more pavilions offering views of the river and distant peaks. The rocks and foliage in this invented Chinese-style landscape are rendered with broad, wet strokes, layered to define the forms, while the cascade is detailed with delicate ink lines and curlicues.

By the time she created this work, Noguchi Shohin had been a professional artist for almost five decades. Born to a physician’s family in Osaka, she began to study painting at age eight. Her father died when she was sixteen, and Shohin began to paint to support herself and her mother. Her talent quickly drew the attention of patrons, poets, and intellectuals. By 1900 she achieved a celebrity status rare for female painters and served not only as an official artist for the emperor but also as a juror for national art exhibitions.