Temple Gate After Rain

Goto Sumio was born into the Shingon Buddhist sect and trained as a monk, but found his calling in painting, studying under Yamamoto Kyujin and Tanaka Seihyo. His primary subjects were ancient temples of Kyoto and Nara, Hokkaido landscapes, and Chinese scenes, imbued with deep awe and reverence for the sacred pervading all things. This painting of Kyoto’s Nanzen-ji Temple depicts a moment after rain when a sudden burst of sunlight from the west bathes the scene in a blaze of gold, revealing a vision of the Buddhist Pure Land beyond the temple gate. Deep blue and gold hues convey the mind and spirit apprehending subtleties of nature with solemn grandeur, while the blurring technique of suyarigasumi and the use of arcs deftly capture the moisture and light after rain. (M.N.)