“Stop to appreciate the tender depiction of two sleeping puppies. The artist's use of soft brushstrokes and subtle color brings a remarkable sense of warmth and intimacy to this small, exquisite painting.”
Two small puppies, nestled together, form the heart of this intimate silk painting. One puppy rests its head on the other's back, their forms rendered with soft, fluid brushstrokes that suggest the warmth and pliability of their fur. The artist uses a delicate touch, capturing their innocent slumber with a sense of quiet observation. This work, created by Kawabata Gyokushō around the late 19th century, belongs to a series of album leaves depicting animals and landscapes, each offering a glimpse into the natural world with a refined aesthetic. The subtle variations in ink and the slight blush of color on their ears and paws bring a lifelike quality to these sleeping creatures, inviting a moment of gentle contemplation.
- Artist
- Kawabata Gyokushō
- Date
- 1868
- Location
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Culture
- Japan
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The way the puppies' bodies are intertwined, suggesting closeness.
The soft, almost blurred edges of their fur, conveying texture.
The delicate pink hue on the puppies' ears and the pads of their paws.
The subtle shading that gives the puppies a sense of volume and depth.
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Kawabata Gyokushō
1842–1913 · Empire of JapanKawabata Gyokushō was a prominent Japanese painter known for his delicate ink and color works on silk.
Further Works by Gyokushō
Paris Street; Rainy Day
1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Cat Seen from Behind
1868 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
River Scene with Rocky Hills in Background
1868 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Bird at the Water's Edge
1889 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Cock and Hen
1889 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Crane Among Reeds
1889 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pair of Ducks
1889 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Small Birds and Bamboo
1889 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
More from Nihonga
More works to explore
Beyond Gyokushō and Nihonga: works from the same years.
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Two Boats in a Storm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt
Claude Monet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Portico of the Church of San Ginés, Madrid
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1868 · Hispanic Society of America
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Valley of Les Puits-Noir
Gustave Courbet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Approaching Storm
William Hart · 1867 · Gilcrease Museum
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mountain View at Bormio (from Switzerland 1869 Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent · 1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Boy with Pitcher (La Régalade)
Édouard Manet · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat
Paul Cézanne · 1870 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Snow at Louveciennes
Camille Pissarro · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Little Shepherdess
Jean-François Millet · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Pink Dress (Albertie-Marguerite Carré, later Madame Ferdinand-Henri Himmes, 1854–1935)
Berthe Morisot · 1870 · Metropolitan Museum of Art