Morning at the Cave Temple

Set at a rock-cut cave temple in hillsides and cliff faces, this work depicts two women quietly walking through the morning mist, offerings in hand. By employing the urahaku technique (the application of gold leaf to the reverse of the silk), the brilliance of gold is deliberately softened, making it possible to subtly convey the gently diffused light of a misty morning. Nōsu painted this work after returning from India, where he studied Buddhist art and copied murals at sites such as the Ajanta Caves. This work reflects his careful firsthand observations, which is evident in the precisely rendered wall reliefs.
Born in Danshi Village in Kagawa District (present-day Takamatsu City), Nōsu grew up learning Buddhist teachings from his father, a monk.  He graduated from the Japanese Painting Department of the Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1908. From 1917 to 1918 he traveled to India, and from 1932 to 1936 he painted murals at the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath, a site revered as the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.