Wind God and Thunder God
The artist
Tawaraya Sotatsu, a Japanese painter who helped start a bold, decorative style of art with gold backgrounds.
What you see
Two powerful gods on a golden sky: the Wind God carrying a big bag of wind, and the Thunder God with a ring of drums.
The story
Painted in the 1600s, these two lively gods leap in from the edges of the screen, as if a storm is rushing across the sky.
The style
Sotatsu placed the green Wind God and white Thunder God against plain shining gold, leaving lots of empty space between them.
Look closer
The Wind God squeezes his long bag to let the wind rush out, while the Thunder God beats his drums to make loud booms.
Where to see it
This famous folding screen is kept at Kennin-ji temple in Kyoto, Japan, and is treasured as a masterpiece.
Fun fact
The two gods are painted far apart in the corners, which makes the empty gold middle feel like a wide, stormy sky.