National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This picture of a monkey has a superb expression, which is more than simple realism, and is known as one of the finest works among the many paintings in the Song dynasty. The monkey painted here is said to be a Japanese monkey, rather than a Chinese kind. The expression of the fur, painted in India ink and gold dust, is extremely fine and natural. The widespread rumor that it was painted by Mao Song, a painter in the Imperial Painting Academy of the Chinese Southern Song dynasty, is believed to have been started by Kanô Tanyû, but is not well grounded. Its noble origin involves being donated to Kakunyo of the Manju temple by Takeda Shingen.