East Asian Paintings and Screens

Painting of a perforated garden stone with red bamboo growing behind. Chinese zekku poem reads, "Returning home to my grass hut on a spring evening," by the Tang-poet Qian Qi. Screen...

Prominent figures in Japanese folklore. The Chinese poet-sage Kanzan is depicted with his scroll, and the Daoist sage Jittoku with his broom. Painting bears two seals of Nakanuma Sho...

Meiji period (1868 - 1912) calligraphy painting. Abstract character reads: Kumo (cloud). Seal on the upper right reads Shogazen, seal on the upper left reads Hosai. Ink on mulberr...

This artwork creatively uses tree bark to evoke the imagery of woods and mountains during both the morning and nighttime on left and right. It is elegantly framed with paulownia wood, a tree closely connected to kimono culture, and is filled with storytelling and sense of luxury. By incorporating both the front and back sides of the same obi fabric woven in different colors, the play of light and shadow on the mountains is depicted through the contrasting appearances of these surfaces. The intention behind this piece is to convey the exquisite beauty of Japanese mountains and the lush forests that inhabit them. To achieve this, traditional elements of Japanese culture, such as obi textiles and craftsmanship involving wood, were used. The outer side and inner linings of the same obi, no longer suitable for clothing, along with bark material that would normally be discarded, have been repurposed to create this exceptional upcycle artwork. The fusion of Japanese natural materials – silk, paulownia wood, and pine bark for the central decoration – along with the so-called "Tozan" pattern, a unique Japanese natural design showing mountains from far-away point, captures the magnificent beauty of Japanese nature from various perspectives. The central bark decoration stands out as a distinctive feature of this work. Pine, oak, and other tree barks are interwoven among the mountains woven into the obi, creating a tangible and authentic natural atmosphere. << Period / Story >> The obi used in this piece was originally crafted during the late Showa period (1960-80ies). << Explanation and meaning of pattern and colors >> This upcycle artwork uses an obi with a tozan pattern woven in two colors. The design is inspired by a distant mountain range, a motif that has been used in paintings and crafts since ancient times. However, in this particular design, the mountains are depicted not as distant peaks but as graceful semicircles giving it a mild atmosphere. << Characteristics of the fabric >> This upcycled Fukuro-obi (two-side obi) showcases a festive color pattern of mountains intricately woven with gold threads against a beige front and red on the back. The way this obi interacts with light allows it to shift in expression, much like a mountain revealing different facets over time. It can transform from deep shades of color to the appearance of gold shimmering against bright hues, depending on the lighting and viewing angle. << About the frame >> Kiritansu - chest-of-drawers for kimono, is traditionally made from paulownia wood, a uniquely Japanese material closely tied to the world of kimonos. Paulownia wood is known as the lightest wood in Japan, prased for its natural luster, resistance to moisture, and resilience against cracking. Since ancient times, it has been used in crafting furniture, chests, and musical instruments. During the Edo period, it became customary to store cherished kimonos in paulownia chests...

Detailed painting of varieties of chrysanthemums behind a bound-twig garden fence rendered in silvered, raised gofun. Stylized low-hanging gold mist clouds. Rimpa-style painting in m...

Powerful depiction of sprawling monastery with massive mountains in the background. Ink on paper. Signature and seal read: Tetsuzan.

Skeletons Studying, Shaku Kaiyin, Japan Meiji Period This ink-on-paper painting, mounted as a scroll with colored paper borders, is titled Skeletons Studying. It portrays a circle of...

Pigments on silk. Signature and seal read: Chiga saku (Acid free mounting with UV plexiglass) Painting dimentions: 59" H x 34" W, overall dimentions: 63 1/4" H x 38 1/2" W.

Sparrows ravish freshly harvested rice, drying on stakes, beyond wild chrysanthemum. Mineral pigments on silk. Signed in the lower left corner, signature reads: Soetsu. With a simple...

We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare original 19th century watercolor brush painting depicting a scene of typical every day Chinese life retailed through Liberty London....

Lacquer on wood. Signature reads: Toshimasa. Solid black lacquer on reverse. Signed original box.

Seal on lower right reads: I'nen. Beautiful and delicate Rimpa painting using tarashikomi (painting-in) technique of wet on wet painting. Painted in a style reminiscent of the famous...

Abstracted painting of ships moored in the background. Painted by Nishide Kofuku and exhibited at the 1963 Nitten National Exhibition. Kofuku was born in 1926 in Shiga Prefecture. He...

Japanese Two Panel Screen: Mountain Landscape with Calligraphy. Late Edo (c. 1850) painting of a dramatic mountainside carved by a waterfall with a crane flying in the foreground an...

Beautiful fine detail of a variety of wild grasses. Lacquer on wood panel with carved surface and metal rim. Exhibited at National Nitten Exhibition 1969.

Torii School Head 7th Generation [4th Generation Torii Kiyotada] Silk Painted Scroll, Festival, Sword, May Silk Painted Scroll head: Ceramic box: Paulownia　wood Size: Painting size: 330 (W) x 1130 (H) [mm] Scroll: 360 (W) x 2000 (H) [mm] Box size: 70 x 70 x 435 mm, 600g A large composition depicting a Japanese sword It is thought to represent the May festival Sekku (seasonal festival) means a day that is a turning point in the season, or a traditional event that is held on that day.  Held in May, old weapons...

Hawks were a popular motif in artwork because Japanese falconry, or takagari, was a sport of aristocrats such as nobles and samurai. Hawks came to symbolize nobility and strength. Su...

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely pair of antique circa 1880’s Chinese hand painted Gouache paintings depicting a Geisha girl and Lord A very good looking and beautifully painted pairing, they were made for the export market during the British colonialism...

Wisteria represents sentiments of love and longevity as vibrant floral colors dance dramatically amongst the two panels. Mineral pigments on Mulberry paper with a natural wood trim....

Flowers including peonies, dahlias, irises, and bellflowers bloom underneath a blossoming cherry tree and provide cover for a pair of quail. The structure of this garden almost resem...

Chinese gouache painting on paper of farmers tending to the land. Signed on the reverse. Comes framed.  

Japanese two panel screen: Chrysanthemums Through the Mist Obara Paper Art Screen. Surreal and masterful rendering of chrysanthemums cloaked in mist that varies in opacity made entirely of carefully arranged mulberry paper fibers in a Japanese art practice called Obara. Accented with gold leaf. Unique in terms of both execution and dreamlike mood. Made by Yamauchi Issei (b. 1929), stamped in the corner. Issei is well known throughout Japan as the leading artist in Obara Paper Art. Starting in 1948, he apprenticed with Fuji Tatsukichi, a leading proponent of the arts and crafts movement in Japan who worked to revive many cultural traditions on the brink of extinction. Issei started exhibiting in the Nitten in 1953, won the gold medal in 1963, and eventually became a juror. His artwork was given as a gift to the Showa Emperor of Japan, as well as dignitaries such as General Douglas MacArthur...

Okinawa paintings are few and far between and have different colors and textures from other Japanese screens. Vibrant mineral pigments on a soft ground of mulberry paper, signature a...

Wall Decor Handcrafted Mother of Pearl Chrysanthemum Painting on Wood Panel by Arijian.

Animals of the Japanese zodiac dancing in colorful costumes celebrating the New Year.

Soft mineral pigments on silk with brocade border. Signature and seal read: Jyogyu

Artist: Katsumi Aizu, who won many awards at Inten Exhibition. Ink and mineral pigments on mulberry paper with a silk brocade border.

This cultural revolution-era reverse glass mirror painting depicts the Yangtze River Bridge, the first bridge designed and built solely by the Chinese and a great source of pride when it was completed in 1968. The traditional art of painting behind glass...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this lovely decorative vintage Chinese oil panting of a Geisha girl statue standi...

Chinese gouache painting on paper of farmers tending the land. Signed on the reverse, comes framed.

In strong primary colors. Makers seal reads: Yu.

Kyoto landscape featuring Kyomizu Shrine in all its glory in the Higashiyama Hills. Artist signature and seal read: Asami Kojo Mineral pigments on mu...

Painted lacquer on wood with bronze mounts. Signature reads: Isawu-O.

Artist signature reads: Tsunetoki hitsu Mineral pigments on gold leaf.

Imperial portrait on paper.

Japanese Two-Panel Phoenix Screen, Edo Period, Ca. 1850 Japanese Edo Period (1603-1868) DIMENSIONS Height: 24 inches Width: 28 inches

A Chinese two-part eight-panel screen from the 20th century, featuring low-relief carvings, gilt-painted calligraphy, and a rich brown lacquer finish. Composed of two sections with f...

Lacquer and aluminum on wood. Exhibited at Northern Japan Art Exhibition. Signature reads: Yuki.

A scene from the 12th century Heike wars. Ruler Taira Shigehira ordered an attack on those who opposed his rule. During the battle, Nanto Temple, in Nara, was burned to the ground. T...

Very early painting of a gold arbor with morning glories, the mulberry paper almost appears polished. Please see close-up photos to show staining from use over the many years (on the...

Ink with accents of gold on paper. By Kodama Sanrei (1915-2002) exhibited at the 1968 Nippu-ten. About the Artist: Kodama Sanrei was born in Nagano prefecture and studied under the a...

Mineral pigments on mulberry paper with applied gold leaf in various abstract forms.

Mineral pigments on gold leaf, signature and seal read: Kenzan.

Tosa School painting depicting opposing samurai, Benkei and Yoshitsune, excellent detail, mineral pigments on gold leaf with gold dust.

Japanese Six Panel Screen: Bamboo Grove with Beautifully Painted Bird and Meandering Stream. Excellent Rimpa School painting with very finely rendered bird, raised gold fencing, wit...

Japanese Two Panel Screen: Flowering Lilies on the Beach with Dancing Crabs. Taisho (1912-1926) period painting of spider lilies, tiger lilies, and morning glories in bloom at the ...