High definition digital reproductions
- featured artworks from Kyoto

Carp at the Gateway
Attributed to Maruyama, Oukyo
Owned by Daijyoji, Kyoto
Era: Edo Period, 18C
Style: Hanging scroll, sumi-ink
Size: 107.3*48.5cm
[Reproduction]

Carp at the Gateway
According to a myth from China, Dragon Gate is a gateway to success. Carps gather below a waterfall of the Huang River and wait to swim upstream. Those few carps that swim up successfully become dragons. The piece captures the scene well, using symbolic shadows and modern sensitivity. It is surprising to see an old theme such as Carps at Gateway made fresh and lively by Oukyo’s painting. This piece was originally designed as a set for two hanging scrolls.

About the Artist:
Maruyama, Oukyo (1733-1795)
Oukyo is a painter from mid Edo Period. His characteristic is his sketching technique. He focused more on the sketch of the painting than other modern Japanese painters. He sketched many objects in the nature including animals, insects, and plants from various perspectives. His characteristic resides in painting traditional objects in Japanese art by using basic techniques of sketching while creating decorative pieces. His outstanding technique and approachable style became popular among his pupils. His school, the Maruyama Shijo School, has become one of the main schools that led to contemporary Kyoto paintings.