Rabbits in Snow with a Nandina Bush
南天に雪兎図
Nagasawa Rosetsu · c. 1781 (Tenmei 1) · Hanging scroll
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A hanging scroll by the mid-Edo painter Nagasawa Rosetsu, painted on silk around 1781 (Tenmei 1), showing two rabbits in snow beneath a nandina bush. An early work faithful to his teacher Maruyama Okyo's style, it is held by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.
- Artist
- Nagasawa Rosetsu
- Date
- c. 1781 (Tenmei 1)
- Medium / format
- Hanging scroll
About this work
At the bottom of the narrow format, two rabbits crouch on the snow. One is spotted black and white, the other pure white. A slender nandina trunk rises above them, with red berries and snow-covered leaves.
The museum says the painting recalls Okyo's Rabbits and Scouring Rushes (1786). From the regular-script signature and the white-relief seal, it is considered an early work from around Tenmei 1 (1781), when Rosetsu was just beginning to paint. At the time, he often followed Okyo's style faithfully.
The black-and-white rabbit also appears in Okyo's Shasei zukan, volume A, made from 1771 to 1772, and Rosetsu is thought to have used it as a model. Rosetsu was born in Sasayama in Tamba Province and later developed a startling, witty style.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
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Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Rabbits in Snow with a Nandina Bush, and when?
- Rabbits in Snow with a Nandina Bush is by Nagasawa Rosetsu, made in c. 1781 (Tenmei 1). Medium: Hanging scroll.
- Where can I see Rabbits in Snow with a Nandina Bush?
- It is held by Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
- Japan Search (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
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