Waterfall and Dragon, by Kano Naonobu and Ogata Korin

  • Early to mid Edo period
  • 17-18c
  • Hanging scroll, ink and gold paint on silk
  • H-147.8 W-64.5
Catalogue Entry

by Kano Naonobu and Ogata Korin
Edo period, 18th century (dated 1708)
Hanging scroll, ink and gold paint on silk
Height, 147.8cm; width, 64.4cm

An accompanying statement by Kojakuan Kosai states that the waterfall in this painting was brushed by Kano Naonobu while the dragon appearing from amidst the waterfall was painted by Ogata Korin.

Kano Naonobu (1607-50) used the go Jitekisai, and his common name was Shume. He was born in Kyoto, the second son of Kano Takanobu and the younger brother of Kano Tan'nyu. Naonobu's ink talents were praised over those of Tan'nyu, but sadly Naonobu died at a young age.

Ogata Korin (1658-1716) is extremely famous as the founder of the Rimpa style of painting. While the disparate birth and death dates for these 2 artists preclude the creation of a true joint work between them, the inscription next to the dragon in this work states that Korin added brushwork to the painting on the first day of the new year of 1708 (Hoei 5), and this inscription is signed with Korin's "Hokkyo Korin" signature. This inscription would thus indicate that Korin added the image of the brushwork to an existing painting. The year of this inscription, 1708, dates from Korin's years in Edo (1705-09). HK