The Vinegar Tasters
painter
Unknown
Dateearly 17th century
Place MadeJapan, East Asia
MediumInk, mineral pigment, and gold leaf on paper; two fold screen
Dimensions167 x 187 cm (65 3/4 x 73 5/8 in.)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberP20e2
Status
Not on viewWeb CommentaryThe Three Vinegar Tasters illustrates the unity of the three great East Asian religions and philosophies. In the Japanese painting, three sages representing Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism gather around a barrel containing wine that has soured to vinegar. All three react to the sour taste with puckered cheeks showing that despite their different paths, they respond in the same way to the same essential reality.
Id730166
Last Updated8/14/24
EmbARK ObjectID11833
Source ID994
