Shoun Gen (b.1873) - Plum & pine screen pair
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Pre 1920 item# 971977
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$3400
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A pair of pine and plum screens painted with ink on a hand beaten gold ground dating to the early 20th century, circa 1915/20. Lavish and voluminous brushstrokes define the pine and plum and
the work resonates with a sense of the artist's bravura and exuberance.
The screens are signed Shoun Gen, Shoun is the art name of Onada Gen. The lower seal also reads Shoun. He was born in 1873 in Okayama. He is noted as being a student of the Shijo school of art in Kyoto.
The screens are in very good original condition.
Each screen stands 67'' high and measures 73'' across (170 by 185 cm).
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Hideo Morofuji - Samurai screen pair
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Pre 1940 item# 971976
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$2700
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Dating to the 1930's, the two-fold screen pair depicts the legendary samurai general Yoshitsune crossing the Uji river to attack the Taira forces in 1184. The rushing water of the Uji river anchors the foreground and stands in stark contrast to the deftly brushed background fading into the mist. Lightly applied gold flecks simultaneously highlight and veil the scene. The warriors and their horses have been painted with great realism in a myriad of pigments. Painted on paper.
The screens are signed Hideo, with the top seal reading Morofuji and the lower seal Hideo. Hideo Morofuji was from Fukuoka originally though he later lived in Otsu. He was a student of Inokai Shokoku (d.1940) and Domoto Insho (1891-1975).
The screens are in very good original condition.
Each screen stands 60'' high and measures 56'' across (153 by 143 cm).
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Bijin with cat
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Pre 1930 item# 971350
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$900
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A delightful earlier 20th century (circa 1925/30) painting of a courtesan playing with a cat. She is pictured holding a string ball whilst the cat playfully paws her trailing kimono. The courtesan is almost buried under the weight of her hair ornaments and luxuriously decorated kimono whose maple leaves and rich reds and oranges signify the fall season.
Painted on silk with ink, color and gofun the work is in very good original condition in all respects.
The scroll measures 84.5 '' by 18'' (215 by 45 cm). The image measures 49'' by 16.5'' (124 by 42 cm).
It is the work of an unknown artist by the name of Seifu.
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Kabuki actor
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Pre 1940 item# 971349
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1100
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Titled 'Ginmaku Sai' or 'Star of the theatre' this work shows a kabuki actor in final preparations for a performance, in this case 'Sannin musume'. The title is written on the open playbook. 'Sannin musume' or 'the three girls' was a movie written by Fuji Yahiro in 1929 though whether this preceeded the kabuki play or vice versa I don't know. Interestingly the painting dates to the 1930's.
It is the work of an unknown artist by the name of Sasaki Keirin.
Painted with ink, pigment and gofun on silk the painting is in good original condition. Light foxing is present in the upper fields.
The scroll measures 87.5'' by 55'' (222 by 55 cm). The images measures 50'' by 16'' (127 by 41 cm).
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Furosaki - tea ceremony screen
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Pre 1940 item# 955147
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1850
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A 'furosaki' or tea-ceremony screen from the first half of the 20th century. Washes of ink tinged with soft colors form the late autumn foliage of a Japanese oak tree whilst the jay has been rendered in naturalistic detail with ink, gofun and rich pigments. The artist has chosen a roughly woven silk ground as the painting surface which is highly unusual and adds a tangible depth and texture to the refined painting. Delightful seasonal imagery for the tea ceremony.
The screen is in good to very good condition and ready to be hung and enjoyed. There is light foxing present on the silk.
The screen stands 27" high and measures 69" across (69 by 176 cm).
The painting is signed Taigaku though we haven't been able to unearth any further information.
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Abe Shunpo (1877-1956) - Nihonga kacho-e
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Pre 1940 item# 933954
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$650
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A early to mid 20th century nihonga painting of a butterfly and peony. Traditionally a highly detailed and realistic scene, here Shunpo has reduced the realism and concentrated upon more simplified and repetitive forms, allowing the brilliance of his coloring to provide the work with both weight and nuance.
Painted with ink and pigment on silk the work is in very good condition. The original brocade mounting is also in good condition and presents the work very well.
The scroll measures 80'' by 11.5'' (204 by 29.5 cm). The image measures 51'' by 8'' (129 by 20.5 cm).
Abe Shunpo (1877-1956) was born in Fukuoka. He moved to Osaka at the age of 16 to begin training under the tutelage of Fukada Chokujo. At 19 he moved to Kyoto to study under Kikuchi Hobun. He went on to exhibit with the Nitten/Teiten on countless occasions, eventually becoming a judge of the prestigious organization. His work is held in the collection of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
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Onno Tosei (b.1902) - Nihonga koi
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Pre 1960 item# 933952
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$950
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A mid 20th century painting of a koi by the artist Onno Tosei. Utilizing course grained pigments derived from natural materials the colors are extremely rich and the image visibly textured. Whilst it is a 'Nihonga' work due to the materials used the pigments have been applied in a manner akin to an oil painting.
The work is in very good condition. It is complete with its original double wooden storage box. The painting is also complete with a round wooden bar which clips around the lower roller. This ensures that the scroll isn't wound too tight during storage thereby preserving the thick pigments.
The scroll measures 56'' by 26'' (143 by 66 cm). The image measures 16.5'' by 20'' (42.5 by 51 cm).
Born in 1902 in Kyoto Onno Tosei was a graduate of the Kyoto City Specialist School of Painting. He studied under both Nishiyama Suisho and Nishiyama Hideo. He exhibited with the national Nitten and Teiten on a total of 32 occasions.
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Yamada Mumon (1900-1988) - 'The lion roars'
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Pre 1980 item# 918026
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$2350
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A powerful zen message from Yamada Mumon: ''The lion roars!''. When Buddha proclaimed the Dharma, his voice was said to be like a ''lion's roar'', majestic and awe-inspriring. In zen calligraphy, the phrase means, ''Be bold and determined in your Buddhist practice like the king of the beasts!'' Also, ''Walk the talk'', that is, be up-front and direct in your Zen demeanor. In keeping with the force of the message Mumon has brushed this with exceptional vigor, literally damaging the paper in a number of areas on both the first and second characters with the forcefulness of his strokes.
Contained within its original signed and sealed storage box, the painting is in good condition. Light, sporadic foxing is present.
The scroll measures 76 by 18'' (194 by 46 cm). The image measures 51.5 by 13.5'' (131 by 34 cm).
Yamada Mumon (1900-1988) was one of the most well known of 20th century Zen masters. Mumon wrote a number of popular books on Zen, and he had many disciples, both Japanese and foreign.
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Domoto Insho (1891-1975) - Summer lilies
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Enamel:
Pre 1970 item# 909294
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1900
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A magnificent framed enamel plate by the eclectic nihonga artist Domoto Insho. His diverse talents and drive for reinvention led him into many different phases as an artist; this enamel work dates to the 1960's when he was pursuing abstract expressionism. Two lilies, one in bloom the other closed are set against a gorgeous ground of iridescent blues and purples. Black tendrils weave their way through the work much as they do in many of his paintings of the period
The concave enamel plate is immediately framed with a rich silk brocade then further bordered by a hand carved and painted wooden fillet. The outer box frame is set apart with a green felt. It is likely that either the master or a direct assistant created the frame.
The frame measures 15 by 20 inches (38.5 by 45 cm) and is 2.5 '' or 6 cm thick. The enamel plate measures 6.5 by 9 inches (16.5 by 23.5 cm).
The enamel is in perfect condition.
Domoto Insho (1891-1975) was a graduate of the Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts and later the Kyoto Municipal Special School of Painting. His most influential nihonga teacher was Nishiyama Suisho. He had great early success exhibiting at the national Teiten. This success lead to an enormous number of commissions to paint the ceilings and fusuma doors of Buddhist temples in the Kansai region, eventually completing over 600 such projects. He is a member of the Imperial Art Academy and received the Order of Cultural Merit. He established the Domoto Museum of Fine Arts in 1966.
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Fujii Kaido (1898-1994) - Zen Keisaku
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Pre 1980 item# 848956
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1200
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A wooden Keisaku inscribed and signed by Fujii Kaido (1898-1994), the 515th Head Abbot of Daitoku-ji zen temple in Kyoto.
The inscription reads A SHARP WEAPON THAT WILL APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR (TO BEAT SOME SENSE INTO YOU)! Translation by John Stevens.
A keisaku is a flat stick used in the Zendo to strike a meditator
across the shoulder to relieve stiffness and to spur him or her on
to greater effort. The inscription refers to a magic eight-pointed
spear mentioned in Hindu mythology that could defeat all enemies and
remove every obstacle simply by being waved in the air. In Rinzai
training use of the keisaku occurs suddenly--"appear out of thin
air"--and is applied rather forcefully in order to wake up the
mediator literally and figuratively.
The keisaku measures 40" long and is 2" thick at its widest point. A dense and heavy wood which we believe is form of tigerwood.
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