Squirrels on the Chestnut Tree
Songtian is known for his depictions of squirrels in a monochrome style characterized by crisp, decisive brushstrokes. He may have been a Chan (Zen) priest-painter,or perhaps a Daoist painter, active in the Hangzhou region of China. From there his works spread to Japan.
Credit: John L. Severance Fund
1300s
Hanging scroll; ink on paper
97.0 x 39.4cm
1979.70
Image and text: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2023
Where you'll find this
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Permanent collection