Yamamoto Chikuseki (b. 1881) 
Nine Elders of Mount Xiang 
Japan, dated 1929 
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper 
Gift of Terry Welch, 2021 (2021-03-108) 

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Literati practices such as music, poetry, calligraphy, and painting were fundamentally social in nature. Unlike Western paintings, which were generally displayed in churches and public spaces or hung permanently on the walls of private homes, Japanese literati paintings, especially those in formats such as handscrolls and albums, were usually kept stored, and only brought out for social gatherings.

Later literati modeled their parties after groups of friends from history, among which one of the most famous was the circle surrounding the Chinese scholar-official-poet Bai Juyi (772–846), who would meet at his retreat on Fragrant Mountain (Xiangshan). Known as the Nine Elders, the group is shown here in nature, surrounded by auspicious symbols of longevity such as pine trees and lingzhi fungus. Although they are stooped with age, they nevertheless enthusiastically admire each other’s calligraphy. Chikuseki invokes a multi-sensory experience through aural suggestions such as the chin zither held by a servant, the gurgling stream, and the wind blowing through the pines and bamboo.