Mount Fuji and the Miho Pine Forest

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Artist: Soga Shōhaku (Japanese, 1730–1781)
Medium: Pair of six panel screens; ink and light colors on paper
Size: 157.5 × 362 cm (62 1/16 × 142 9/16 in.)
Museum: Art Institute of Chicago
Rights: CC0 — no rights reserved

Japanese painter Soga Shōhaku created this scene over two folding screens, pairing a rising dragon with a forested landscape and the iconic Mount Fuji. A rare expression of this auspicious subject, this is the earliest and largest known version of the theme of Mount Fuji and the dragon together in one composition. Mount Fuji and its surrounding landscape is a quintessential symbol of Japan.

The inclusion of a dragon is particularly meaningful, as homonyms in Japanese for “Fuji” and “dragon” combine to create the meaning of “removing all unhappiness.” Shōhaku was not associated with any established school of painting and little is known about his biography. The artist earned his reputation for his technical skills with monochrome ink painting and his irreverence for traditional norms—both qualities on display in this work. Here,

Shōhaku adeptly rendered lush trees, craggy rocks, and a snow-covered mountain, as well as intangible atmospheric details such as wind, rain, and clouds. Mount Fuji itself is painted in the negative with the white of the paper expressing the snow-covered mountain whose contours are created with layers of ink wash surrounding it.

Reading the composition from right to left across the two screens, we are afforded a serene view of the bay and distant hills, until one encounters the rising dragon encased in clouds who is kicking up the wind and rain, affecting the boats on the water. In his wake, the dragon leaves behind a turbulent atmosphere with dark clouds surrounding Fuji. Within the landscape, all four seasons are depicted, from spring’s blossoming cherry trees to the deep snow of winter.

Text: Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0.