forgeries        p.3

Here you can see an example of a copy by Maruyama Oukyo (on the right from a printed catalogue) of the Guan Yu painting by the early 15th century master Minchou (on the left). In the inscription he is declaring it as a lin 臨 copy made on request after the original. It is however not so exact at all. The complex background, highly important for Minchou as he did the painting for Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the only man who could face the wargod directly. The 18th century Japanese who ordered Oukyos painting could not risk to meet the eye any longer. So Guan Yu looks away now. The details in the background became meaningless.
Oukyo’s copy of Minchou’s Guan Yu is a great painting as well. It also is executed in his personal brush work.