Japanese Paintings and Prints [USC Pacific Asia Museum]

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TRADITION: The way we have always done things.

[Tradition 1-1]
Falcon [Hawk]
Attributed to Hasegawa Tohaku (1539–1610)17th century
Ink and color on paper; originally one panel of a six-panel screen
Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Herman Blackman and Barbara Lockhart Blackman, 1986.94.12

[Tradition 1-2]
Eagle [Hawk] on Pine Branch
Shunsen Katsukawa (1790–1823)
Early 19th century
Full-color woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.26

[Tradition 2-1]
Hermit Riding a Carp
Attributed to the Shohaku School (1730–1781)
Late 18th century
Scroll painting, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. Jesse L. Greenstein, 2025.4.11

[Tradition 2-2]
Bodhisattva Kujaku Myo-o
circa 1600
Scroll painting, ink, color and gold on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Patricia Ayers Gallucci, 2002.33.1

[Tradition 2-3]
Gama Sennin and Toad Netsuke
Carved by Yukisama
Late 19th century
Ivory
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Al and Frieda Kaplan, 1997.16.23

[Tradition 3-1]
Chinese Immortal on Horseback
Maruyama Okyo (1733-1795)
circa 1760s
Ink on paper; originally one panel of a two-panel
screen
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Calvin Frazier, 1986.67.9

[Tradition 3-2]
Sage on Horseback
Attributed to Maruyama Okyo (1733–1795)
circa 1769-1789
Scroll painting, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.71

[Tradition 4-1]
Man on Ox
Gibon Sengai (1750–1837)
circa 1800
Scroll painting, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. Jesse L. Greenstein, 2025.4.1

[Tradition 4-2]
Peasant with Ox
By Kawamura Bumpo (1779–1821)
circa 1810
Scroll painting,ink and color on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ross, 1989.56.2

[Tradition 5-1]
Geese
16th century
Two-panel screen, paper, ink, and silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Anonymous Donor, 2025.2.1

[Tradition 5-2]
Sparrows and Bamboo
Tsubaki Chinzan (1801–1854)
1848
Scroll painting, ink and color on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kamansky,
1985.56.2

[Tradition 5-3]
Three Cranes and Bamboo
Early Edo period; Genroku reign (1688-1703)
Two-panel screen, ink, color, and gofun on gold leafing
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Gail Melhado, 2003.43.1

[Tradition 6-1]
Ginga Legend Weed (Galaxy Legend Weed) Yoshihiro Takahashi
Japan, July 2000
Published by Nihonbungei-sha.Ltd.
Anonymous Loan

REALITY: The way things really are.

[Reality 1-1]
Monkey Performing the Sanbaso Dance
Mori Sosen (1747–1821)
Dated 1800, the first day of the Monkey year
Scroll painting, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ross, 1985.55.4

[Reality 1-2]
Monkey with Baby and Autumn Flowers
Attributed to the school of Sosen
After 1800
Scroll painting, ink and colors on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.81

[Reality 1-3]
Monkey Netsuke
Late 19th century
Ivory
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Elinor D. Herrick, 1997.15.39

[Reality 2-1]
Study of a Tiger
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
circa 1835
Ink on paper; originally a section of a scroll
Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Herman Blackman and Barbara Lockhart Blackman, 1985.58.7

[Reality 2-2]
Tiger seen from the Front
Nagasawa Rosetsu (1754-1799)
circa 1780s
Scroll painting, ink and color on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kamansky, 1985.56.4

[Reality 3-1]
Eagle in a Snowstorm
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
1848
Scroll painting, ink and color on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Brumder, 1986.113.4

[Reality 3-2]
Ten Thousand-Acre Plain at Suzaki F ukagawa, from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo"
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858)
19th century
Full-color woodblock print on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.17

[Reality 4-1]
Two Trout in a Stream
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858)
circa 1830
Scroll painting, ink and color on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Herman Blackman and Barbara Lockhart Blackman, 1986.94.10

[Reality 4-2]
Two Camels
Tani Buncho (1763–1840)
circa 1824
Scroll painting, ink and color on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Eleanor T. Nordskog, 1996.22.1

[Reality 5-1]
Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki
1997 / Film
Studio Ghibli

IMAGINATION: Creations of the mind

[Imagination 1-1]
Two Shi-Shi Lions
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858)
19th century
Full-color woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.12

[Imagination 1-2]
Illustration of a Shi-shi from the Manga, Vol. 14
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
1815
Leaf from a bound book, woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Lowrie in memory of Mr. Robert T. Lowrie, 1978.16.278F page 51

[Imagination 2-1]
Octopus-Samurai and Farmer
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
circa 1839
Drawing, ink and color on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kamansky, 1987.47.1

[Imagination 2-2]
Detail of a Kappa from the Manga, Vol. 3
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
1815
Leaf from a bound book, woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Lowrie in memory of Mr. Robert T. Lowrie, 1978.16.277B page

[Imagination 3-1]
The Four Sleepers
Kawamata Tsunemasa (flourished 1716-1748)
circa 1745
Scroll painting, ink and color with gofun on toned paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kamansky, 1988.65.2

(No larger image available)

[Imagination 4-1]
Procession of Insects
Unknown Artist
19 th century
Hand scroll, ink and colors on silk
On loan from the Ruth and Sherman Lee Institute at the Clark Center for Japanese Art

[Imagination 4-2]
Praying Mantis on Vine
Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891)
19th century
Full-color woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. George W. Housner, 2001.21.38

[Imagination 4-3]
Travelers in Sight of Mt. Fuji
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)
circa 1834-1835
Drawing, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Paul, Bernice and Herman Blackman, 1985.58.3

[Imagination 5-1]
Gathering of Foxes at Oji from the series “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo”
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858)
Edo period (1603-1868)
Full-color woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Henrietta Hill Swope Collection, 1981.12.133

[Imagination 5-2]
Fox and Puppy
Nagasawa Rosetsu (1755–1799)
18th century
Scroll painting, ink on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of the Family of Elise Grilli, 1986.79.30

[Imagination 5-3]
Illustration of a Tanuki from the Manga, Vol. 14
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
1815
Leaf from a bound book, woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Lowrie in memory of Mr. Robert T. Lowrie, 1978.16.278F page 31

[Imagination 5-4]
Netsuke, Tanuki on a Sake Bottle
20th century
Ivory
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of the International Netsuke Foundation, 1991.79.24

[Imagination 6-1]
Dragon Attacking Girl Diver
Anonymous Artist
Early 18th century
Painting, ink, color, and gofun on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Jesse L. Greenstein, 1988.61.2

[Imagination 6-2]
Dragon in the Clouds
Kishi Ganku (1756–1838)
circa 1800
Scroll painting, ink and color on silk
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Brumder, 1988.78.6B

[Imagination 6-3]
Illustration of a Dragon from the Manga
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)
1815
Leaf from a bound book, woodblock print, ink on paper
USC Pacific Asia Museum Collection
Gift of Evelyn and Eleanor Moles, 1982.27.7

[Imagination 6-4]
Gojira
Ishiro Honda, director
1954
Feature Motion Picture
Courtesy Toho Studios

[Imagination 7-1]
Doraemon
by“Fujiko Fujio,”Abiko Motoo and Fujimoto Hiroshi
1970
Earless Blue Cat Robot
Copyright © Tentomusi Comics
Administered by Fujiko Pro, Tokyo

NATURE OF THE BEAST: JAPANESE PAINTINGS is only available as an online exhibit

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Comments? beast@pacificasiamuseum.org

Pick Your Fave! Now it's your turn to be an art expert! Pick your favorite Nature of the Beast artwork and let the world know what you think. We will post the most intriguing answers on the museum's website. Check back at pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/pickyourfave/ to see if your opinions were chosen!

Pick Your Fave!
Now it's your turn to be an art expert! Pick your favorite Nature of the Beast artwork and let the world know what you think. We will post the most intriguing answers on the museum's website. Check back at pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu/pickyourfave/ to see if your opinions were chosen!