Gamboling Lions

Currently not on view

Gamboling Lions

1789-1800

Hasegawa Setsurei (Japanese, active 1789–1800)

Originally associated with Indian Buddhism as a symbol of power and protection, the lion assumed a playful quality in later East Asian art, often pictured cavorting among peonies. On this screen (one of a pair), Hasegawa Setsurei has painted a grouping of five dappled lions in blue, green, and white. Their full, curly manes and tails are rendered in gold and silver lines, and the creatures are set against a plain gold backdrop. The broad, flat background of gold leaf helps accentuate the colors and movements of the lions, who look more like kittens than the king of wild beasts. Instead of formidable guardians, here they are portrayed as auspicious emblems.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Gamboling Lions

Date:

1789-1800

Artist:

Hasegawa Setsurei (Japanese, active 1789–1800)

Medium:

Ink and color on gold paper; mounted as a pair of six-fold screens, framed

Dimensions:

67 1/4 inches × 12 feet 1/4 inches (170.8 × 366.4 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Baekeland in honor of Andrea M. Baldeck, M.D., and William M. Hollis, Jr., 2007

Accession Number:

2007-95-1a,b

Geography:

Made in Japan, Asia

Context:

Period: Edo Period (1615-1868)

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Currently not on view