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Kyoka (crazy poem) - Meditating zen sketeton
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Pre 1900 item# 904821
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1350
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A painting of a zazen skeleton dating to the 19th century, likely the first half. The inscription reads as follows: "Sickness is bliss, everything else is misery--look at this guy still trying to figure this out! Painted and inscribed by the King of Hell's assistant". The artist remains unidentified. The inscription is a crazy poem (kyoka) in crazy, winding brushwork. The meaning, apparently, is that once you realize that sickness and ultimately death are integral parts of life and do not try to avoid them by chasing after trifling things (that will eventually prove to be unsatisfactory), you will be in a state of bliss. The mediating skeleton is trying hard to understand this heavy-duty truth even though he does not realize that he is already an example of the fleeting nature of all things. The name used by the artist in the signature emphasizes the urgency of the matter--"Hell is waiting for those who fritter their lives away!" Despite the gravity of the subject, the painting is graced with Zen humor, almost light-hearted in style, and more of gentle warning than a dire prediction.
Painted with ink on paper the painting is in reasonable condition. It has discolored somewhat over the years and a few marks are present. The paper mounting is similarly in reasonable condition although the work could do with a clean and a re-mount. Please contact me for further details regarding this.
The image measures 13.7" by 22" (35 cm by 56 cm). The scroll measures 41.5" by 24" (106 cm by 61.5 cm).
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Hata Ryuko (1810-1858) - Bugaku dancers
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Pre 1900 item# 901217
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$2400
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A set of two alcove or tokonoma sliding doors from the late Edo period. Painted with ink and pigments on a gold foil ground the scene is from a Bugaku performance. The figures are exceptionally well painted with great attention being paid to historical detail. The title of the play is written above the artist's signature although we haven't had it translated.
Apart from the horizontal mark on the right side the doors are in excellent original condition.
Each door measures 40 by 24" (102 by 61 cm).
The artist is Hata Ryuko (1810-1858). He studied under Ukita Ikkei and Watanabe Shukei. He went on to study traditional Tosa styles by himself and came to specialize in revivalist Yamato-e or Fukko Yamato-e. This style had strong connections with the Imperial court in Kyoto. The handmade metal pulls are embossed with the Paulownia leaf crest originally made famous by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and later adopted by many families through inheritance and conferral. It is presently used as the official Prime Ministerial crest.
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1811 - Landscape screen
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Pre 1900 item# 901213
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$1600
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A small landscape screen dated the 8th year of the Bunka era, 1811.
The sophisticated composition features a boatman poling his way through a myriad of waterways, the banks of which are heavily populated with blooming plum trees. The artist's mannered layering of the waterways continues on into the receding mountains which are defined with soft outlines and subtle shading.
The inscription is likely a poetic allusion to the scene represented in the painting. The calligraphy is signed Shukan, though we haven't been able to trace this artist. The painter's name and seal have essentially been concealed behind brocade during its recent remounting.
The screen is in excellent structural condition having very recently undergone a complete remounting. There are some areas of paper replacement and re-touching around the hinges.
The screen measures 73" by 17" (186 cm by 44 cm).
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Fujimoto Tesseki 1862 - Literati tea gathering
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Pre 1900 item# 858027
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$2100
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Tesseki's brushwork is bold and passionate, creating a graphically powerful composition and one that is amplified by the large scale of the painting. The painting is dated 1862. Two scholars are holding a tea gathering in a remote and idyllic mountain sanctuary with a young attendant preparing sencha. Sencha was introduced into Japan from China in the late 17th century and was embraced by literati painters and calligraphers. The mountain stream winding in front of the scholars will provide the water for their tea; its fine quality of the utmost importance.
The top seal reads Minamoto Shinkin with the seal below it reading Jingu. The seal at the bottom right of the painting reads Tesseki. A famous and martyred figure in Japanese history, Fujimoto Tesseki (1817-1863) was committed to restoring imperial power at the end of the Edo period, eventually dying in battle against the Shogunate army on the 24th of September. His study of literati painting began in 1833 under Ito Kachiku (1805-1881) though in true literati fashion he resigned from his position with his han in 1840 and traveled about the country over the next ten years developing his skills as an artist. His works are held in the British, Honolulu and the Tokyo National Museum.
The scroll measures 36.5" by 89". The painting itself measures 29" by 62.5 inches.
Re-mounted during the second half of the 20th century utilizing the original silk brocade the painting is in good condition. Some paper tears at the lower extremes were repaired at this time. A couple of marks are present though are largely absorbed by the fullness of the composition.
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Komura Taiun (1883-1938) - Ink rock formation
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Pre 1920 item# 845038
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
SOLD
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Utilizing little other than a large brush and the natural expressiveness of ink, Taiun's dynamic work is imbued with tension. Clinging to the side of the rock is a mature pine tree representing the resilience of nature. The rock formation rises dramatically from the blank background and is counterbalanced by both a smaller formation anchoring the work and a most playful little squiggle, seemingly reserved only for those who view the painting closely.
The work is in good original condition. The paper mounting has received a couple of knocks and light creasing is beginning to appear through the painting.
The scroll measures 15 by 75 inches.
Komura Taiun (1883-1938) studied under both Yamamoto Shunkyo and Tsuji Kako. He was an exhibitor and prizewinner at the Bunten and a member of the Jury for the Teiten. See Roberts, A Dictionary of Japanese Artists. p.89
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Oyama Gado 1925 - Literati landscape screen
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Pre 1920 item# 844425
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$5800
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Painted in the early fall of Taisho 14, 1925 by Oyama Gado. A two-fold screen depicting a nanga or literati landscape scene that speaks loudly of the luxurious sensibilities of the period. Gado has managed to elicit a remarkably fresh and compelling work from not only a traditional subject source but also utilizing traditional literati brush techniques. His breathtakingly detailed brushwork fills the screen and merges to create a rich and pulsating scene where the rock formations appear alive with rippling musculature.
The work has been painted on silk with ink and light color.
The painting is in reasonable condition though it would benefit from restoration (please contact me directly for details). The painting is free from foxing and largely free of marks. Slight losses at the lower center and a weakening screen hinge are the biggest concerns.
The screen stands 68 inches high and measures 67 inches across.
The signature reads Gado. The first seal reads Oyama Ryu no in and the second seal reads Gado. Oyama Gado (Oyama Ryuichiro) was born in Tochigi in 1902. He was a student of Komuro Suiun and exhibited with the Teiten on four occasions. He was a member of the Nihon Nangain (Japan Nanga Institute) which was led by his teacher Komuro Suiun, Yano Kyoson and Mizuta Chikuho. The group explored widely in search of new forms of expression within the borders of nanga using their orthodox training as a foundation and coupling that with a desire to express more personal and 'realistic' representations of nature. See Literati Modern, bunjinga from late Edo to twentieth-century Japan: the Terry Welch collection at the Honolulu Academy of Arts/ Paul Berry and Michiyo Morioka, 2008, pp. 32-33.
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Yokoyama Kazan (1784-1837) - Courtesan procession
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Pre 1900 item# 837306
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$8500
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Yokoyama Kazan (1784-1837) was a pupil of both Kishi Ganku (1749-1838, founder of the Kishi school) and Matsumura Goshun (1752-1811, founder of the Shijō school). He amalgamated the styles of both men in his paintings though with a noticeable leaning toward the softer and more lyrical tones of Goshun. Kazan was a brilliant transitional artist and his works evoke the increasingly fluid and creative disposition of the later Edo period.
This six-fold screen depicts the promenade of a stately courtesan and her entourage making their way from their living quarters to an appointed house to meet with clients. Kazan has all but dispensed with a background, allowing the ladies to flow undisturbed along a softly washed ground. The figures are bold in both size and their increasing individualism. The high ranking courtesan on the right is attempting to lead her retinue onwards though the younger girls have become distracted by the brilliance of spring. The girl at the far left appears to be chasing a butterfly, her enthusiasm drawing two of her peers. The child attendant in the foreground is similarly distracted by the blooming wildflowers. Rather than reprimanding the girls the courtesan looks back with a sense of affection that could well be out of touch with her general disposition.
The screen is in its original format. Re-mounting will be necessary to account for the worm damage, which is particularly noticeable in the lower third of the far left hinge. Utilizing the existing paper to re-back these areas will achieve excellent results. The painted areas are in very good condition. Very light staining in the upper fields will reduce significantly with washing. Please contact me for further details.
The screen stands 60 inches high and measures 124 inches across.
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Hara Zaichu (1750-1837) - Mount Fuji
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Pre 1900 item# 801000
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$3200
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A late Edo period landscape by Hara Zaichu depicting Mount Fuji towering above the mountainous coastline. Hints of cloud cover enhance the spectacular view of Fuji, which is still holding a little snow. The detail and breadth of the landscape in addition to the exceptional colors make this very much a noteable painting by one of the foremost painters of the day.
Hara Zaichu (1750-1837) studied under a broad range of teachers and styles before eventually branching off and creating his own school of art, whose style lies somewhere between Maruyama, Kano and nanga traditions. Maruyama Okyo was his most famous teacher, although he also studied in the Tosa tradition and the techniques of Ming and Chi'ing painting. See Roberts page 208.
Painted on silk with ink and color, the painting is in good condition. There is one blemish to the left of the snow cap - a previously restored hole. It has been recently remounted and presents very nicely.
The scroll measures 56 by 31 inches. The image measures 18 by 25 inches.
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18c Tokaido map screen pair
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Pre 1800 item# 768999
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$8500 the pair
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A rare series of twelve paintings from the 18th century depicting stations along the famed Tokaido or Eastern Ocean Road of Japan. The detailed illustrations begin with Tokyo at the far right and end with the lower reaches of Lake Biwa and finally Kyoto. A distinct emphasis has been placed on representing the existing castles of the time and this may well allow further research to more accurately date the work. The work bears two seals although they remain unread.
The scenes have been painted with ink, pigment and gofun on paper - the open fields sprinkled with tsunago or gold flecks.
The paintings themselves are in quite good condition although some insect damage is visible.
The Edo period gold leaf screens are showing their age and may need to be replaced, although there is certainly a case to be made for keeping and displaying them as is.
Each painting measures 51 by 20 inches. Fully extended each screen measures 67 by 145.5 inches.
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18c Tokaido map screen pair
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Asian:
Japanese:
Paintings:
Pre 1800 item# 768997
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click for details
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zen-zen0
075-771-9190
$8500 the pair
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A rare series of twelve paintings from the 18th century depicting stations along the famed Tokaido or Eastern Ocean Road of Japan. The detailed illustrations begin with Tokyo at the far right and end with the lower reaches of Lake Biwa and finally Kyoto. A distinct emphasis has been placed on representing the existing castles of the time and this may well allow further research to more accurately date the work. The work bears two seals although they remain unread.
The scenes have been painted with ink, pigment and gofun on paper - the open fields sprinkled with tsunago or gold flecks.
The paintings themselves are in quite good condition although some insect damage is visible.
The Edo period gold leaf screens are showing their age and may need to be replaced, although there is certainly a case to be made for keeping and displaying them as is.
Each painting measures 51 by 20 inches. Fully extended each screen measures 67 by 145.5 inches.
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