An enamelled stoneware dish, signed on the base Kenzan (Ogata Kenzan, 1663-1743) and kao [cursive monogram], Kenzan ware, Kyoto, Edo period, early 18th century | 尾形乾山　色絵宇津山 (蔦細道)図　角皿　江戸時代　18世紀　「乾山(花押)」(銹絵銘)

Kenzan, yusui to fuga no sekai [Kenzan: A World of Profound Tranquility and Elegance], Miho Museum, Shiga, 2004, cat. no. 92. 

Rimpa meihinten [Rimpa: The Debut of Essential Rimpa Masterpieces in the Okada Museum of Art Collection], Mitsukoshi (Nihonbashi), Tokyo, 2015, cat. no. 35.

Rimpa no seika [The Essence of Rimpa], Okada Museum of Art, Hakone, 2015, cat. no. 35.

Ninsei & Kenzan, Okada Museum of Art, Hakone, 2017, no. 36.

Richard Wilson and Saeko Ogasawara, Ogata Kenzan zensakuhin to sono keifu [Ogata Kenzan: His Life and Complete Work], vol. 2, Tokyo, 1992, pls. 313-1 and 313-2.

Artists working in the Rimpa [lit. school of [Ko]rin] tradition excelled at depicting literary themes through non-figurative means. Here, the steep and narrow path conjures up the Ninth Episode from the Tale of Ise (Ise monogatari), known as Departing for the East (Azuma kudari). In the episode, the unnamed protagonist (thought to be the courtier poet Ariwara no Narihira, 825-880) travels the treacherous and narrow ivy path through Mount Utsu, a place name that bears association with sorrow and melancholy, after having been banished from the capital for his illicit affair with Fujiwara no Takaiko (842-910), a consort of Emperor Seiwa (850-878). Journeying eastwards, to what was then regarded as the hinterlands of the Japanese archipelago, the scene is filled with pathos heightened by the sight of maple leaves and overgrown ivy on the lonely mountain trail. Running into an itinerant monk on his way to Kyoto, the unnamed protagonist requests that he pass on his wishes in the form of a poem to his lover still residing in the capital. The poem has been translated by Peter McMillan in The Tales of Ise (London, 2016), p. 15:

Here by Mount Utsu

in Suruga so far away,

I cannot meet you

in the real world,

not even in my dreams

Suruga naru

Utsu no yamabe no

utsutsu ni mo yume ni mo hito ni

awanu narikeri

展覽

《乾山－幽邃と風雅の世界》 ，美秀美術館，滋賀，2004年，編號92

《琳派名品展》，三越（日本橋），東京，2015年，編號35

《琳派の精華》，岡田美術館，箱根，2015年，編號35

《特集展示 生誕360年記念 尾形乾山》, 岡田美術館, 箱根, 2022年, 展覽編號11（沒載圖）

出版

Richard Wilson及小笠原 佐江子，《尾形乾山一全作品とその系譜》，卷2，東京，1992年，圖版313-1及-2

從事琳派（即光琳派）傳統的藝術家，擅長透過非具象手法描繪文學主題。此處陡峭狹窄的小徑喚起《伊勢物語》第九段，即「東下」。該段落中，無名主人公（被認為是宮廷詩人在原業平，825-880）因與藤原高子（842-910）——清和天皇（850-878）之妃，發生私情而被逐出京城後，行經險峻的宇津山藤蔓小徑。此地名常與憂傷和哀愁相聯，寂寥山徑上楓葉與蔓藤叢生的景象，更深化了哀愁氛圍。主人公在前往東國途中，遇見一位前往京都的雲遊僧侶，遂託其將一首和歌轉達仍居京城的戀人。此詩由彼得·麥克米蘭翻譯成英文，此處中文係經英文撰譯，英文原文載於彼得·麥克米，《The Tales of Ise》，倫敦，2016年，頁15：

此處宇津山

駿河遙遠路

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