The beach at Miho (right) and Mt. Fuji (left)

Two famous subjects, the shore at Miho and Mt. Fuji, are the central elements in this pair of screens. For the shore at Miho—one of the famous scenic spots of Japan—a crescent moon shines above the distinctive long, tree-lined shore. On the opposite shore are travelers on horseback and foot, and villagers going about their daily lives. On the Fuji screen, partly hidden buildings of the Seikenji Temple appear in the middle ground below the mountain. At the foot of the hill is Kiyomigaseki, a checkpoint where travelers showed their documents to officials.

An extremely prolific and important master of the Kano family school, Kano Tan’yu moved from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo) and established a strong connection with members of the military elite. He established his own branch of the Kano school and, under his leadership, the new school gained political and artistic power in Edo.