Emperor Yao Visiting Yu Chonghua - Kusumi Morikage

A six-panel screen by Kusumi Morikage depicting the legendary meeting of Emperor Yao and the humble farmer Yu Chonghua in a serene rural setting.

This six-panel folding screen depicts a narrative scene from Chinese history, illustrating the legendary Emperor Yao seeking out the virtuous farmer Yu Chonghua, who would later become Emperor Shun. Kusumi Morikage, a student of the Kanō school, moved away from the rigid formality of his training to adopt a more personal, observational approach to his subjects. The composition spans the entire width of the screen, using a continuous narrative flow that guides the eye across the rural setting.

The scene is rendered in ink with subtle washes of colour, a technique that emphasises the atmospheric quality of the mountains and the quietude of the agricultural life depicted. Morikage focuses on the daily activities of the farmers, showing them at work in the fields, tending to livestock, and resting near their thatched dwellings. The figures are small in scale, integrated into the broader environment rather than dominating it. This approach reflects the artist's interest in the lives of common people, a departure from the typical aristocratic themes favoured by the Kanō masters of the time.

The screen demonstrates a mastery of space and balance. The use of negative space, or 'ma', allows the viewer to breathe, while the placement of trees, buildings, and figures creates a sense of depth without relying on Western perspective. The soft, muted palette reinforces the sense of timelessness and humility associated with the story of the virtuous ruler. Morikage's work here is a fine example of the transition towards more humanistic themes in seventeenth-century Japanese art, where the focus shifts from purely symbolic representation to a more grounded, observational style that captures the essence of rural existence.