Autumn Grasses
秋草図屏風
Tawaraya Sosetsu · 17th century (Edo period) · Folding screen
One of a pair of folding screens. Image: Source: ColBase (Work page (opens in a new tab)) (reduced in size on this site) Public Data License 2.0 of the Government of Japan (compatible with CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) View larger
Autumn Grasses is a pair of folding screens by Tawaraya Sosetsu (17th century, Edo period) with bush clover, pampas grass, chrysanthemums, and cotton rose in a free-flowing display on a gold ground. It is an Important Cultural Property held by the Tokyo National Museum.
- Artist
- Tawaraya Sosetsu
- Date
- 17th century (Edo period)
- Medium / format
- Folding screen
About this work
A gold ground, with pale green showing through, rises and falls in gentle swells that repeat across the screens. Pampas grass, chrysanthemums, bush clover, sunset hibiscus, cotton rose, and patrinia grow thick across them. The flowers suggest a season running from summer into autumn, and the colors are held to whites, greens, and yellows, giving the whole a fresh, unified look.
At both outer edges, the chrysanthemums are built up in heavy layers of gofun, a white pigment derived from shells. They sit at almost the same height at either end, so the picture and the swells of the ground still connect even when the two screens are swapped.
Tawaraya Sosetsu was a successor to Tawaraya Sotatsu, who was active in the early Edo period. He first worked in Kyoto and later served the Maeda family in Kaga-Kanazawa. This work is color on gold-leafed paper, 158.5 x 362.6 cm each, and is designated an Important Cultural Property.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
- Tokyo National MuseumMuseum's page for this work (opens in a new tab)
Taito City, Tokyo Accession no. A-11190
Plan your visit to Tokyo National Museum
Find places to stay, activities and rental cars for a visit to Tokyo National Museum, which holds "Autumn Grasses".
Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Autumn Grasses, and when?
- Autumn Grasses is by Tawaraya Sosetsu, made in 17th century (Edo period). Medium: Folding screen.
- Where can I see Autumn Grasses?
- It is held by Tokyo National Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- ColBase (Tokyo National Museum) (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
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