Matsumura Keibun Furniture

A fine antique Taisho period Japanese woodblock print. Depicting a swooping heron above a riverbed with a thin sliver of a crescent moon in the background. By Seikо̄. Seikо̄ is tho...

A bold, spectacular Japanese hand-brushed, hand-painted silk scroll of two horses below plumb tree mountain- worthy of your favorite room Hand painting on silk in simple soft pleasin...

A very fine and delicate Japanese antique hand-painted silk scroll of four playful, diving swallows , likely sparrows or warblers, amidst a plumb tree and waterfall, Taisho period. ...

A set of 5 Japanese floral paintings from the 18th century. Each painted with mineral pigments directly applied to gold leaf. They were originally designed to be mounted on the leave...

Poppies & Butterflies Ink, pigment and gofun on silk Igarashi Chikusa (1774-1844) Signature: Chikusa Ran Zen Upper Seal: Ran Shuzen Lower Seal: Kyoho Dimensions: Scroll: H. 68” x W. 18” (172cm x 45cm) Image: H. 38.5’’ x W. 12.5’’ (98cm x 32cm) This composition shows elegant images of poppies and the butterflies that are inevitably drawn to them. It captures a momentary glimpse into a world both visually dazzling and startlingly realistic. The painting is infused with sensitivity and attention to seasonal change and weather conditions. The thin and fragile poppies are beautifully depicted with brilliant colors and the butterflies are similarly infused with life. The painting is on silk which requires extremely precise painting skills as no element once painted can be removed. Poppies were a favorite subject of Rinpa school artists through the ages. Originally they were somewhat abstracted but by the age of Sakai Hoitsu...

Here's a rare find from a collector we visited in Japan. A very unusual treasure.... This is a cache of old Chinese and Japanese bamboo paint and calligraphy artist brushes dating ...

Iwase Hirotaka (1808-1877) Koi and Water Plants Hanging scroll, ink, color, gold wash and gold flecks on silk Inscription: Hirotaka Seal: Ille...

Birds & Flowers of the seasons Pheasants & Plum in Snow Unframed painting. Ink, pigment and gofun on silk Kano Chikanobu 1819-1888 Signature...

Antique and very rare Japanese painting made in the early 1900s by a fine Japanese manufacturer. The painting has a rectangular brass frame with rounded corners. Internally we see a...

18th century Buddhist Chinese Scroll Painting. This is a temple piece and has been re-backed numerous times over its life span. The practice...

Birds and flowers of the four seasons Early to mid-19th century Ink, pigment and gofun on silk Unidentified artist Signature: S...

Bamboo in moonlight Gamo Rakan (1784-1866) Hanging scroll, ink on silk. Dimensions: Scroll: 201 cm x 58 cm Image: 137 cm x 45 cm In this early 19th century work by Gamo Rakan a light ink wash applied to the silk background silhouettes the moon and suggests the atmosphere of early evening. Even though it is a literati subject, Rakan’s bamboo is quite realistic with a strong decorative style. The painting finds its inspiration from Chinese Ming dynasty painters who often used a single-tone, jet black stroke to emphasize the calligraphic nature of bamboo. In a different era, decorative would have been seen as somewhat unrefined. But increasingly in the Edo period, it was the hallmark of high style. The Japanese people, in particular the rising merchant class, had gradually become apathetic toward the traditional Sesshu and Kano schools of painting. Chinese professional and amateur painters living in the port of Nagasaki during the 18th century had a profound effect on Japanese painting and the freshness of their style and its decorative appeal contributed greatly to its popularity. Gamo Rakan’s teacher, Tani Buncho...