Monkey and infant on a pine tree: a naturalistic turning point in Japanese art

Find out more about Mori Sosen's Japanese scroll painting. 

Natural observation

Mori Sosen (1747-1821) was a highly regarded painter of the Japanese Edo period who worked and lived in Kyoto, Japan. 

Born into an artistic lineage, Sosen belonged to the Mori school of painting, which was shaped by late-18th-century naturalistic movements that sought to bring greater realism and vitality to traditional Japanese art. In particular, he was influenced by nature-observation painters like Maruyama Ōkyo (1733-95). 

A New Year's painting

Most likely from Sosen's mature period, this painting was made between 1790 and 1810, at the height of his technical skill and expressive confidence.

It shows two monkeys balancing on a branch of a pine tree. While the mother stares into the distance in a watchful mode, the infant, attentive to his mother, hangs playfully from a branch. The silhouette of the rising sun can be seen over the branches, alluding to the New Year. The elements of the scene are set against a pale ink wash background.

Emotive and sensitive style

The interaction between the two animals is subtle yet emotive and imparts tenderness to the whole scene. Sosen gained fame for his signature depictions of simians, but he also painted landscapes, birds and flowers, and other animals. It is believed that he observed monkeys in their natural habitat, hence his ability to subtly capture the animals' characteristic attitudes and movements. 

The realistic and accurate depiction of the animals' soft fur shows Sosen's outstanding technical skill. We can tell that these are Japanese macaques thanks to his fine and accomplished brushwork.

The scroll

The painting is mounted in typical East Asian method, as a hanging scroll, with a beautifully ornate border of brown and gold brocade bearing a pattern of pomegranate fruits among foliage.

The signature

The painting is signed ‘Reimyo Sosen hitsu’ [From the brush of Reimyo Sosen] and is sealed ‘Sosen’.

Seasonal imagery

In Japanese visual culture, seasonal references are used to show appreciation for the natural world and its cycles. It is also a way to express awareness of the inevitability of change.

Seasonal themes can be observed in all Sosen’s paintings of monkeys. He depicted the animals in different environments to evoke different times of the year.

Hanging scrolls would have been changed regularly according to the season or for special occasions.

Other Japanese naturalistic paintings

National Museums Scotland holds several other paintings of the Maruyama-Shijō school of naturalistic painting, most of which depict landscapes. This scroll, however, represents the first animal example in the collection.