Golden Pagoda in Rangoon

Maker(s)
Artist: Yoshida Hiroshi 吉田博 (1876-1950)
Historical period(s)
Showa era, 1931
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 24.6 x 37.6 cm (9 11/16 x 14 13/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Gift of H. Ed Robison in memory of Katherine W. Robison
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1996.2
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
Japan, pagoda, Showa era (1926 - 1989), water buffalo
Provenance

To 1996
Henry Edwin Robison (1913-2008), Palo Alto, CA, to 1996

From 1996
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, given by Henry Edwin Robison in 1996

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Henry Edwin Robison 1913-2008

Label

Yoshida traveled to Yangon (Rangoon) in present-day Myanmar (Burma) aboard the British ship Blue Channel.  Yoshida commemorated his visit there with this print of the Shwe-Zigon (Shwe Dagon) Pagoda, one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Southeast Asia.  Entirely covered with gold, the pagoda is believed to contain relics of the historic Buddha as well as of previous Buddhas.  Built high on platforms rising on a hilly site, the pagoda had reached its current form in the sixteenth century, and was an important destination for pilgrims.  The carefully graded and overprinted colors selected by Yoshida for this print suggest the warm glow of the setting sun as it illuminates the golden dome and spire of the pagoda.  The shadows of twilight are suggested by the dark blue and green tones in the foreground, where water buffalo gather near a lake that reflects the pagoda and the surrounding landscape.

Published References
  • Ann Yonemura. Beyond the Brush: Japanese Prints, Paper Works and Photographs. vol. XLIII no. 3. p. 34, fig. 5.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Whistler's Neighborhood
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use

Related Objects