18th Century Japanese Floral Paintings, Set of 5, Mineral Pigments on Gold Leaf

Three Friends of Winter Nakajima Raisho (1796-1871) Late Edo period, circa 1850 Ink and gold leaf on paper. This is a double-sided Japanese Furosaki or tea-ceremony screen from the mid 19th century; bamboo and plum on the front, young pines the back. It by Nakajima Raisho, a master painter of the Maruyama school in the late Edo and early Meiji periods. In this work Raisho combines exquisite ink brushwork with large open spaces of brilliant gold-leaf to inspire the viewers imagination. Rather than naturalism, he is searching for the phycological impression of the motifs, resulting in abstraction and stylization. His simplification of the motifs the result of looking to capture the inner nature of the objects. This art motif is known as Sho Chiku Bai, or the Three Friends of Winter. Evergreen pine connotes steadfastness, bamboo suggests both strength and flexibility, while plum blossoms unfurling on snow-laden branches imply hardiness. Combined, this trio is emblematic of Japanese new year. Chinese literati were the first to group the three plants together due to their noble characteristics. Like these resilient plants flowering so beautifully in winter, it was expected of the scholar-gentleman to cultivate a strong character with which he would be able to show the same degree of perseverance and steadfastness even during times of adverse conditions. The screen would have been placed near the hearth of a room used for the Japanese tea ceremony, shielding the fire from draughts and also forming a stimulating and decorative backdrop behind the tea utensils. It would have been used in the Hatsugama, or first tea-ceremony of the new year. Nakajima Raisho (1796-1871) originally studied under Watanabe Nangaku before entering the school of Maruyama Ozui. He was the highest ranking Maruyama school painter at the end of the Edo period and was known as one of the ‘Four Heian Families’ along with Kishi...

Omori Soun (b. 1704) Chrysanthemums - One Hundred Flowers A Pair of Six-fold Japanese Screens. Ink, color, gofun and gold leaf on paper. Dating ...

Illustration to an unidentified chapter of the Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) Tosa School (second half of the 17th Century) Ink, pigment, gofun and...

Purple Trousers (Fujibakama), Illustration to Chapter 30 of the Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) Tosa School (second half of the 17th century) Ink, ...

A rare pair of antique Japanese Karashishi paintings in a landscape of rocks and peony flowers on gold leaf ground in fine handmade frames, Edo period, early 18th century. The Karash...

Pair of antique Japanese Nagasaki School paintings by Yanagisawa Kien (1704-1758), depicting classical ikebana flower arrangements. Each painted on silk in mineral pigments and beari...

Paravento a sei pannelli di scuola giapponese Kano: paesaggio con bellissime ed eleganti gru vicino al fiume, con alberi di pino e sakura. Dipinto a mano con pigmenti minerali ed inc...

Beautiful set of 6 large kakemonos from 19th century Japanese mythology. Paper support with a canvas pasted on the paper Wonderful set that is part of Japan's history and beliefs When not hung, the Kakemonos are rolled up. circa 1800 - Japan - Edo Period A kakemono translates as "object to hang". In Japan this refers to a painting or calligraphy, most often done on silk or paper framed in a scroll that was intended to be hung on walls or in public lighting. This particular form, which allows them to be in a roll, dates back to the Tang dynasty in China (this would be related to the copying and preservation of ancient Buddhist texts). A Kami is a deity or spirit worshipped in the Shinto religion. A Yokai is a spirit, ghost, demon, or strange apparition from the creatures of Japanese folklore. Each of these kakemonos represents a unique story: - A kami, a Japanese deity, is shown painting a rainbow. Indeed, he performs the action with his right hand while his left hand holds a kind of basket with three pots of paint. This kami has a rather closed attitude. He is standing in a dark and tormented sky. Below this figure, 8 villagers are dressed in traditional Japanese clothes. Their faces are softened. They are not afraid of the elements made by the kami above their heads. - A character with an unreal look is holding a kind of jar with his two hands, which he spills on human figures above. This being is floating in the air, probably a character from mythology, perhaps Susanoo. Underneath, villagers on umbrellas. They are trying to protect themselves as best they can from what is falling on them. One of them is carrying baskets with fish on her shoulders. A character in the background is thrown forward and falls. - On this kakemono, the god Raijin, dressed in a white and blue outfit, strikes the sky with his two drum hammers to create lightning and its thunderous sound. Surrounded by Tomoe and a long red scarf, Raijin, enraged and with dishevelled hair, creates a dark and violent storm. The villagers seem frightened by this meteorological phenomenon. One of the villagers can be seen fainting in the arms of a man. This scene may seem chaotic, but Japanese legend tells us that once a field is struck by lightning, the harvest is good. - On this kakemono, we see an unreal-looking figure holding a fan, as if he were sweeping away the bad weather, or simply producing gusts of wind. He is probably the kami of wind and air, Shina tsu-hiko. The figures below him seem surprised by so much wind. An umbrella flies away on the left, the women hold their hair and scarf, the clothes are caught in the power of the wind, there is even a woman on the ground on the bottom left. - This Kakemono represents a short moment. This Raiju is a yokai (ghost spirit...