‘Sumi-e’ (墨絵) is a Japanese style of monochrome ink painting that uses black ink, carefully balanced with negative space, to distil and convey the essence of the subject. Its subset, ‘Suibokuga’ (水墨画), uses black ink washes to create a rich spectrum of shades that capture the subtle nuances of the natural world.
Originating in China during the Sung period (960–1279), Suibokuga was first introduced to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks around the end of the Kamakura era (1185–1333) and the beginning of the Muromachi period (1338–1573). However, it wasn’t until the mid-fifteenth century that this art form really gained popularity in Japan, catalysed by Sesshu Toyo (雪舟等楊), a Zen Buddhist monk and skilled painter.
Born in 1420, Sesshu was enrolled at the local Houfuku-ji temple at the age of 12, when he joined the monkhood. In his late adolescent years, he relocated to Kyoto Shoukoku-ji temple where he continued his Zen training and became a disciple of the esteemed painter, Tensho Shubun (天章周文).
While his artistic talents were inherent, 1467 marked a pivotal shift; the year when Sesshu travelled to Ming Dynasty China to study ink painting techniques from the great masters while accompanying the Japanese envoy. Disillusioned with contemporary Chinese paintings, which he found devoid of spiritual sensibility, he sought solace and inspiration in the vast and numinous landscapes of the south, which he later referred to as his greatest teachers.
Upon his return to Japan, Sesshu opened an art studio in Oita before settling down in his atelier, Unkoku-an, in Yamaguchi prefecture. Here, he trained his disciples and transcribed his indelible experiences of the Chinese landscapes through his paintings; the majority of his still extant works are thought to have been produced here.
With his innovative style blending traditional Chinese painting techniques with Japanese aesthetics, Sesshu became one of the most distinguished Japanese painters of his era, and his influence can be seen in later generations of ink painters.
Infused with the contemplative practices of Zen Buddhism and a deep reverence for the natural world, Suibokuga typically captures vast, unearthly landscapes, with towering mountains and mist-laden valleys that transport the viewer to otherworldly realms. Close-up compositions that trace the veins of leaves and the gradations of petals are also commonly used, paying homage to nature’s intricacies.
Through the artist’s skilled, precise and simplified brushwork, the spirit of the subject is given form, using only the essential brush-strokes and colours. As the renowned Tang dynasty art historian, painter and calligrapher Zhang Yanyuan (張彦遠) said, ‘If by using ink a painter can allude to the five colours, we say that he has grasped the mind. But if an artist’s mind is fixed on true colours, the essence of things will escape him.’
The true mastery of ink lies not in the imitation of colours, but in the artist’s ability to evoke the essence of the subject through its subtle shades. In the simplicity of black ink, the artist is free to reveal their inner self and capture the ‘mind’.