The painting features a courtesan mounted on a white elephant. She is an incarnation of Fugen Bosatsu, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The story of the subject comes from a Japanese Buddhist folklore: On the way to Tennoji temple, a Buddhist monk stopped a village called Eguchi, which was well known as one of the most flourished entertainment area. As he was caught by a sudden rain, he asked a courtesan for a night's lodging in the village. However she refused his request...

The painting depicted court musicians playing divine music called Bugaku. Bugaku is a Japanese court music accompanied by dancing. Here one of the players plays shen (a bamboo instrument first produced in China in 7th century) and the other one sounds a massive drum with mitsudomoe crest (three comma-shaped figures in a circle). Bugaku carries a ritualistic implication and is usually played at the start before dance performance begins. Bugaku purifies the stage. Painted with ink and pigments...

After 6 years asceticism, Gautama Buddha decided to come out from the snowy mountains to seek after his own way to get enlightenment. He realized that a long practice of asceticism was not the way to satori (enlightenment). Sealed Sesshū. Sesshū Tōyō (1420-1506) was the most prominent Japanese master of ink wash painting during Muromachi – Sengoku period (the Warring States period) in Japan...

A solitary crow perches on a pine tree. Painted with ink on paper. Signed Ikkyu and sealed. The painting is attributed to Ikkyu Sojun. Ikkyu Sojun (1394-1481) was one of the most significant and eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and poet. One night in 1420, Ikkyu heard the sound of a crow, which sparked a great satori (enlightenment) in Zen Buddhism...

A Zen ink wash painting features stormy petals in a raging sea. Painted on paper with ink. The painting is dated on Meiwa 4, which is in 1767, Edo period. Signed Hakuin and sealed. It is painted in the style of Zen Buddhist monk, Hakuin Ekaku. Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1768) was the most influential and popular Zen master in Japanese Zen Buddhism. He revived the Rinzai sect and traveled around the country to teach people the wisdom of Zen...

Antique Buddhist painting of Monju Bosatsu. Monju symbolizes wisdom and the enlightened mind, and represents as the personification of the Buddha's teachings. The painting is depicted bosatsu sits a top of shishi (lion) executed in comical style with confident ink brush strokes. Painted on paper. Signed Kasho, which is the artist name of Ikeno Taiga, and sealed.

Ike no Taiga (1723-1776) was a Japanese literati painter and calligrapher active during mid Edo period...

A courtesan and a townsman are making love. When she had the full orgasm, which is like an out-of-body experience, she passed out in pleasure. Here depicted the courtesan enjoyed the affair to the maximum, her vagina literary went to heaven in the shape of ghost. The townsman looks astonished with seeing it...

A samurai and his retainer helping his load to dress in armor. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. During Warring States period (sengoku period), samurai had a specialist retainer who can put armors on them before going to a war. The specialist stylists were familiar with armor and well aware of the order of dressing up so that samurai did not waste their time to join the war. Signed Hogan Eishin and sealed. Kano Yasunobu (Eishin) (1613-1685) was a brother of Kano Tan'yu (1602-1674) and K...

Seasonal flowers in a flower basket depicted in a courtly painting style. Courtly painting or Intai-ga is a painting style followed by Chinese tradition depicted in highly realistically with great details. It became very popular in Tang dynasty in China and painted in line with imperial taste. Painted on paper with ink and pigments. It has been restored sometime in the past. There are some marks, creases, tiny insect damages present on the piece due to its great age.

Painting : 19 3/4"
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Kong Qui, better known as Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. in the Lu state of China. Confucius's principles had a basis in common Chinese tradition and belief. He championed strong family loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children (and in traditional interpretations) of husbands by their wives. In this painting is depicted he is surrounded by ten disciples, who were chosen as the most eminent pupils of his school. Painted with ink and pigments on silk.

There are some li...

An azure-winged magpie perched preening on a pomegranate tree. Painted on silk with ink and pigments. The colorful fruits of the pomegranate and bird’s feather make for decorative composition. In Japan, bird and flower painting began painted during Heian period (794-1185) influenced by Chinese Northern Song Paintings. It became more popular in Momoyama period when Shogun decorated their castles with splendid paintings. The Japanese painters learnt the Ming and Qin Dynasty bird and flower paint...

The painting depicted a samurai met an old man at night. In Japan there are many legendary tales of ogre extermination where samurai fights with ogre to protect people and their town. Some folklore says that the ogre turns into human and attacks people go around. Here, the samurai was prepared for the fight by the torii, which is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred. Whil...