Fong-Johnstone Study Collection

An incense burner with a round base that curves upward to an undulating rim. Thin Japanese calligraphy adorns the exterior. A darker silver cap sits atop the incense burner.

Formerly attributed to Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月
1791–1875
Incense Burner
1800s
Glazed ceramic (stoneware) with copper and silver
4¾ × 4 in. dia. (12.1 × 10.2 cm dia.)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.169A-B

A set of four square ceramic plates with raised edges. The top left corner of each plate is lighter in color and features a floral motif. The rest of each plate is filled with Japanese calligraphy.

Formerly attributed to Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月
1791–1875
Sweet Plates for Tea Ceremony
1800s
Glazed ceramic
Each about 3⅝ × 3½ × ½ in. (0.2 × 8.9 × 1.3 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2021.200.1-4

A pale-colored ceramic tea set with a teapot, a water cooler, and five cups. Each piece has a slightly flared rim and features Japanese calligraphy incised on the exterior.

Formerly attributed to Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月
1791–1875
Set for Sencha Tea
1800s
Glazed ceramic (porcelain)
Teapot 2½ × 5 × 4¼ in. dia. (6.2 × 12.7 × 10.8 cm dia.)
Water cooler 1¾ × 3 × 3¾ in. dia. (4.5 × 7.6 × 9.5 cm dia.)
Each cup 1⅝ × 1¾ × 1⅝ in. dia. (4.1 × 4.5 × 4.1 cm dia.)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.262.1-7

A gourd-shaped ceramic vase with vertical ridges and a loop of clay vine at the top. A dark hole near the center of the vase is surrounded by incised Japanese calligraphy.

Formerly attributed to Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月
1791–1875
Gourd-Shaped Hanging Vase
1866
Ceramic (earthenware)
12 × 4½ × 4 in. (30.5 × 11.4 × 10.2 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.173

Two small beige bowls with slanted sides. The exteriors are rough and darker brown than the smooth interiors. The interior rims are stamped with small squares and circles. The interior of the bowls are lighter beige and inscribed with poems written in Japanese characters.

Kuroda Kōryō 黒田光良
1823–1895
Two Teabowls in the Style of Rengetsu (Rengetsu-yaki)
Late 1800s
Glazed ceramic
Each 1⅞ × 4½ in. dia. (4.6 × 11.4 cm dia.)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.259.1-2

In the bottom quarter of this horizontal composition, two quail with black speckled feathers stand in a thinly painted landscape dotted by a few plants with long, thin green leaves. A vertical line of Japanese calligraphy and a red stamp appear in the lower right corner.

Formerly attributed to Kiyohara Yukinobu 清原雪信
1643–1682
Quail
Date not known
Ink and light color on silk
14 × 20⅝ in. (35.6 × 52.4 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.147

In the center right of this long, vertical composition, a waterfall emerges from a tall, craggy hill. A small-scale man reclines on an outcropping in front of the waterfall, surrounded by a variety of trees. In the lower left corner, another man crosses a bridge carrying an instrument.

Formerly attributed to Tani Bunchō 谷文晁
1763–1840
Scholar Gazing at a Waterfall
Date not known
Ink and color on silk
54⅜ × 25¾ in. (138.1 × 65.4 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.239

A small-scale man at the lower left faces a modest building nestled at the base of a sparse mountain that takes up the majority of this long, vertical composition. A fruit tree in the foreground has pink flowers, and willow trees in the middle ground have faint green leaves. Japanese calligraphy and two red stamps are at top right.

Formerly attributed to Noguchi Shōhin 野口小蘋
1847–1917
Landscape in Spring
With spurious inscription dating the work to 1916
Ink and color on silk
51 × 14⅛ in. (129.5 × 35.9 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.199

Two long, vertical hanging scrolls. The right scroll depicts the head of a dragon enveloped by a dark cloud. In the left scroll, a crouched tiger glances toward the dragon. Each scroll features a large red stamp that takes up about a quarter of the composition, with the artist’s signature above each stamp.

Formerly attributed to Tani Bunchō 谷文晁
1763–1840
Dragon and Tiger
Date not known
Ink on paper
52⅝ × 19⅜ in. (133.7 × 49.2 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.241.1-2

A kingfisher perches on a willow branch in the top half of this long, vertical composition. The bird peers down at two fish swimming below. Japanese calligraphy and a red stamp occupy the top right corner.

Formerly attributed to Okuhara Seiko 奥原晴湖
1837–1913
Kingfisher
Date not known
Ink and color on paper
51 × 19½ in. (129.5 × 49.5 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.203

Three long, vertical hanging scrolls. In the center scroll, a man with an elongated head and a long, white beard carries a staff over his shoulders. In the left scroll, a gray thrush sits on a branch with red blossoms. In the right scroll, a red sun shrouded in mist hovers over birds sitting on a plum branch with white flowers.

Formerly attributed to Kiyohara Yukinobu 清原雪信
1643–1682
Fukurokuju and Flowers of the Winter and Early Spring
Date not known
Ink and color on silk triptych
Each 40¾ × 16⅜ in. (103.5 × 41.6 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone
2018.149.1-3

A robed man with black hair in a high bun and a long, wispy beard takes up the lower half of the composition. Several lines of Japanese calligraphy occupy the upper half of the composition.

Formerly attributed to Konoe Nobutada 近衛信尹
1565–1614
Tenjin
Date not known
Ink on paper
33¾ × 13¾ in. (85.7 × 34.9 cm)
Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2020.778