Pair of Framed Japanese Realistic Portrait of Embroidery Art

Artistically framed for display in a slight shadow frame with non-reflective pixie glass, these pair of embroidery art panels from Japan are dated circa 1910-1930s, end of Meiji to early Taisho period. This period was the peak of the Japanese oversea expositions, when all things Japonisme took Europe and America by storm and left long-lasting impact on western art and design. The influence, however, was clearly not one-directional; As when Japanese artists, artisans and dealers experienced western art, it in turn inspired and impacted on the aesthetics of the Japanese art made for the western tastes. An interesting crop of art forms quickly emerged with a particular outlook that bridged the east and west, with the fundamental techniques still rooted in Japanese traditions. These rare hyper-realistic embroidered portraits were such an example. They took the essential format of the western portrait that permeated the Victoria and Edwardian Society, but substituted with exotic Japanese subjects and executed in traditional embroidery techniques which had been perfected for centuries by the natives. The two portraits on offer, one an elder man with long white beards and a pair of round spectacles lighting a pipe, and the other a grinning man with a peasant attire, were both set in black background, stimulating an appearance of Classic western oil painting or perhaps even the photograph. The fine stiches were maneuvered into an impressively hyper-realistic imagery that was far removed from the traditional Japanese embroidery...

A beautiful Japanese textile art panel with an embroidered dragon on a swirling cloud background, nicely framed with a linen matt in an antique-fi...

On offer is a set of five Japanese textile art panels called Oshi-E circa Meiji Period (1868-1912). This usual set of panels depict various aspects of daily life in Edo time with beautiful details. Some of these panels are snapshots of the buzzling commercial activities at the marketplace, providing insight into the signages, architecture, costumes and how people interacted within a historical and pictorial context. Other panels depict daily leisure activities such as lounging in the park or visiting friends. The realistic rendering and attention to details are not short of "photographic" quality. From the signage of the shops to the motions and attires of the individual characters, from the hairstyle, small ornaments, down to the facial expression, were all recorded in great details. Each panel was signed with the artist's name Yukihana in Kanji with a red seal. These panels are unframed and await your custom touch (framing with inner gilt spacer and mat costs about 250-500 depending on the material chosen, see a framed example in the last picture of a single framed panel we have for sale). We offer them for sale individually, but it will be great for a collector to consider the whole set so that they can stay together. The Oshi-E (also known as kiritori zaiku) is a type of ornamental textile art dated back to the Muromachi period (1392-1573). It started among the elite aristocratic women in Kyoto before spreading wider in the Japanese society. Throughout Edo and Meiji period, Oshi-E were sometimes used to make offerings to the altars in the temple and in the late 19th century, it was exported to the west along with the other embroidery textile art. Oshi-E was made by using silk wadding to create a relief design. Various silk fabric swaps and sometimes wires and tassels, often recycled from older kimonos...

On offer is an attractive piece of textile of Chinese origin beautifully framed in a gilt and UV glass shadow box. Artistically displayed, the piece is the large apron portion of a traditional skirt...

An impressive Japanese embroidery tapestry circa 1890s Meiji period, presented with brocade border on linen canvas in a Lucite shadow box. The stunning design features three dragons coiling and flying in the clouds. The high relief technique used to render the dragons using mostly the silver threads gives this piece a tremendous sense of motion. The most auspicious mythological creature in Japan and China, dragons were a very popular motif in textile art. In this particular piece, it is the impressive size, the superb craftsmanship, the profuse use of silver threads and near perfect condition that set it apart. Japanese Meiji textiles were widely exhibited in the west during turn of the 20th century at the international exposition. It was used to showcase the Japanese aesthetics with the techniques at their pinnacle. These expositions solidified the country's images overseas and felled the Japanese craze in the west, which turned out to be a long-lasting influence on the western art. Many pieces were purchased and stayed in the west. It is likely this estate piece was from one of the expositions based on its high quality. For two similar dragon tapestries...

A matted and framed Japanese silk panel with elaborate embroidery circa late Meiji to Taisho period (1910-30s). On a bright background, two rooster...

Late 19th century Chinese silk embroidery rank badge textile, with a finely detailed dragon along with other various symbols embro...

Astonishingly realistic midcentury Japanese embroidered Uchida silk stitched chinoiserie portrait of an old man in a hat, lifting a sake cup. Signed lower right. Translation: ?? is t...

A vintage Mid-Century ivory color silk brocade collectable Japanese ceremonial kimono. One of a kind. Fabulous museum quality ceremonial kimono in pure silk with intricate detailed h...

A vintage midcentury red color silk brocade collectable Japanese ceremonial wedding kimono. One of a kind handcrafted . Fabulous museum quality ceremonial piece in pure silk with ...

A vintage Mid-Century ivory color silk brocade collectable Japanese ceremonial kimono. One of a kind hand crafted. Fabulous museum quality ceremonial piece in pure silk with intricat...

Suzani, a Central Asian term for a specific type of needlework, is also the broader name for the hugely popular decorative pieces of textile that feature this needlework in vivid col...