Four Sleepers
Four Sleepers
Four Sleepers
Four Sleepers

Currently not on view

Four Sleepers,

n.d.

Kano Tan'yū 狩野探幽, signed, 1602–1674
Japanese
Edo period, 1603–1868
y1957-51

Information

Title
Four Sleepers
Dates

n.d.

Maker
Kano Tan'yū 狩野探幽 , signed
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
Painting: 27.4 x 39.6 cm. (10 13/16 x 15 9/16 in.) Mount: 108.5 x 51.1 cm. (42 11/16 x 20 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan V. Hammer
Object Number
y1957-51
Place Made

Asia, Japan

Inscription
Red seal overlapping bottom of signature
Marks/Labels/Seals
Artist, “Tan’yū sai” 探幽齋, tall rect. relief seal, bottom left
Description
A large figure resting on a recumbent tiger, two small figures crouched on the ground at his left. The “four sleepers” (Shisui 四睡) were legendary Chan (Zen) Buddhist figures: the Tang dynasty monk Fenggan豊干 (J: Bukan), his eccentric tiger, the monk Shide拾得 (J: Jittoku), and the poet Hanshan寒山 (J: Kanzan). Shown sleeping the painting hints at a dream world that cannot be represented. At the same time, the tranquility of the sleepers may suggest the peacefulness of enlightenment that cannot be attained in the waking world.
Culture
Japanese
Period
Edo (Japanese period), Kano School
Type
paintings, scroll paintings, hanging scrolls, japanese painting styles
Materials
silk (textile), ink
Subject
boys, tigers, figures (representations)

IIIF manifest

The International Image Interoperability Framework, or IIIF, is an open standard for delivering high-quality, attributed digital objects online at scale. Visit iiif.io to learn more.

Open API URL

Our API is generally designed to provide programmatic access to the Museum's collections data for applications that require regular updates and/or the ability to dynamically query and filter the data via the endpoints provided.

Share your feedback with us

The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

Explore More

Holidays at the Museum

Princeton Collects

Mosaic Restaurant