Ōtagaki Rengetsu 大田垣蓮月 (1791-1875)

In this delicate and minimalist work of art, the famous nun artist and poet Ōtagaki Rengetsu describes an unusual scene: A flock of wild geese, typically heralding the arrival of autumn, now seen returning in the early spring night. Below them, plum blossoms release their sweet and elegant fragrance—yet the geese, restless and fleeting, take no notice. Their inscription reads:

They do not even rest

In the scent of the plum blossoms...

On the distant night sky

Crying and winging away—

The wild geese of spring.

うめがかに

枕もとらで

更るよの

そらになきゆく

春の雁がね

What is Rengetsu trying to say in her poem? Are the flying geese a reminder to those of us who sometimes find it difficult to stop and appreciate the beauty of small things in the hustle and bustle of everyday life? With her graceful brushwork and poetic sensibility, Rengetsu invites us to pause and appreciate the beauty that so often goes unnoticed in life’s constant motion. The geese, driven by instinct, follow their path without lingering, much like we often rush through our days without truly seeing what surrounds us. Through this subtle yet profound imagery, Rengetsu encourages us to embrace stillness, to be present, and to find joy in the quiet wonders of each passing season.

Rengetsu signed this outstanding work with her age of 78, dating the painting to 1868. The poem from the inscription was published two years later in the poetry anthology Ama no karumo (for reference, see Ama no karumo, in: Murakami Sodō: Rengetsu-ni zenshū, 1980, pp. 7-8).

The hanging scroll has recently been professionally remounted and comes in perfect, flawless condition with fitted wooden storage box.

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