Japanese Paintings

Hand-painted Japanese silk scroll entitled 'Early Spring' depicting a cavalryman in intricately detailed armor returning home on his horse with his private infantry support by his si...

Late Edo period 19th century Japanese six-panel landscape screen featuring a cypress tree over a flowering hibiscus with a pair of hototogisu birds. Kano school painted with ink and ...

Spectacular 19th century Japanese late Edo period six-panel byobu screen depicting Yoshitsune and Benkei, two heroes of Japanese folklore. Crafted in ink and natural color pigments on mulberry paper with thick gold leaf borders on each panel. The character Yoshitsune is seated under a blossoming cherry tree in full armor holding a fan. The warrior priest or monk Benkei is depicted kneeling on a leopard skin...

This is a slightly different Buddhist painting believed to have been created by a Japanese temple monk during the Edo period (late 17th to 19th century). Rendered in ink on paper, th...

Japanese watercolor of a tree with a temple in the background in a gilt faux bamboo frame (companion pictures: 063896 and 063897)

Shunga Unknown artist Meiji era, circa 1880 Hand-scroll mounted with 12 paintings Ink, pigment and gofun on silk Dimensions: Each image measures H. 23.2 cm x W. 34.4 cm (9.15” x 13.5”) The hand-scroll measures H. 28 cm x W. 540 cm (11” x 212”) A set of 12 late 19th century Japanese Shunga paintings mounted as a hand-scroll. Two of the leaves bear the signature and seal ‘Setsuzan’, although we are unable to confirm the identity of the artist using this art name. 6 of the 12 images are taken almost directly from Katsukawa Shuncho’s late 18th century woodblock series, ‘Erotic Pictures...

Vintage Asian Japanese style picture in a gold frame of a peacock standing on a branch having flowers with coligraphy and signed in a gold frame

Japanese Abstract Expressionist Serigraph, Signed & Numbered, (MASHIKO)

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...

Cherry Blossoms Kano Sanrakuki (1898-1981) Showa period, circa 1930 2-panel Japanese Screen Color, gofun and gold leaf on paper Against a backdrop of gold-leafed ground, the lichen covered trunk and branches of the life-sized cherry blossom tree reach out and beyond the confines of the pictorial surface. The overall composition has a feeling of flatness which draws emphasis to the surface and the three-dimensionality of the cherry blossoms. Painstakingly built-up layers of thickly applied shell-white gofun detail the voluminous blossoms and cover large areas of this tour-de-force of Japanese Nihonga painting. By simplifying the background, minimizing the number of colors and depicting the blossoms with such heavy relief, the artist has emphasized the stunning presence of the cherry tree. The type of tree depicted is the Yae-Zakura; a double-layered type of cherry blossom famed for its beauty and strength. When we think of Japanese cherry blossoms, the first thing that comes to mind is Somei Yoshino variety, which has a single flower with five almost white petals. This type is fragile and easily blown away by strong wind or rain. Most of the double-flowered cherry blossoms begin to bloom when the Somei-Yoshino falls, and the flowering period lasts longer than that of the Somei-Yoshino. Kano Sanrakuki originally studied painting at the Kyoto City Arts and Crafts School under the tutelage of Yamamoto Shunkyo...

Rare Japanese Taisho period Bijin-ga style painting of a beautiful woman in period kimono holding a fan, circa 1920. Bijin-ga is a Japanese term used to describe paintings or pict...

Fine Japanese brush painting of cherry blossom festival, ink and color on silk, 19th century, museum conservation framed. Conservation framed i...

Deer under maples Late Taisho period, circa 1925-1930 Pair of two-panel screens. Ink and pigment on silk. Signature: Goho Seal: Goho A pair of two-fold Japanese silk screens...

19th century Japanese Edo period six-panel screen painted in Haboku (splashed ink) style. Depicts Four Seasons landscape scenes with two portraits of Chinese sages. One sage is trave...

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

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...

Serene Japanese Showa period two-panel folding byobu screen depicting a large spring blossoming prunus tree or plum tree. Beautifully painted with ink and natural color pigments on m...

This is an genuine painting, of a woman, with green and orange colors. It has been made in Japan, during the XX Century. It is signed.

A six-fold Japanese screen by Tosa Mitsusuke (1675-1710), Japan 17th-18th century, Edo period. The signature reads Shoroku-i ge Tosa sa Konoe Shogen Mit...

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

A spectacular antique Japanese six-panel screen, decorated with an elegant scene of cranes beside a pine tree against a gold leaf background. The composition, remarkably balanced and...

Remarkable pair of early 19th century Japanese late Edo period screens depicting summer chrysanthemums growing along a brushwood fence. Ink and...

A striking example of postwar Japanese abstraction, this vintage silk painting presents a meditative composition of luminous color fields rendered in richly layered pigments. Horizon...

The 19th Century Six-Panel Japanese folding screen "Byōbu" usually used in the most important Japanese house to stop wind and also to separate different space of the same big room de...

This 18th century folding screen is a stunning example of Japanese artistry. Beautifully painted with delicate brushwork, the evocative sc...

Japanese watercolor of a leafless tree on a hill with a house in the background in a gilt faux bamboo frame (companion pictures: 063897 and 063898)

Flowers & Birds of Spring and Autumn Unknown artist. Japan. Meiji period, circa 1900. A pair of six-fold screens. Ink, color, gofun and gold leaf on paper. Signed: Gaga S...

Vintage watercolor painting of two Geisha under an umbrella - watercolor over graphite with gold gilt border - signed upper right (unidentified artist/maker...

This delicate Japanese painting on paper captures a bright yellow bird perched among flowering branches in full bloom. Executed in watercolor with expressive brushwork and fluid ink ...

Tano Zenyu framed Japanese painting, most likely titled Shukujitsu (祝日), meaning “Holiday” or “Festive Day,” presenting an evocative and contemplative figural composition with a sere...

2nd Half of the 18th century Scroll Painting on Silk by Maruyama Okyo now Framed, Japanese. Pine in Snow. Signed along lower left & with artist's seal in red. Acquired in 1967 in Nik...

Kaiho Yusetsu (1598-1677) Tiger and Dragon Early Edo Period, Circa 1650 A Pair of Six-fold Japanese Screens. Ink and slight color on paper. Dimensions: Each screen: H. 171 cm x W. 380 cm (67.5’’ x 149.5’’) In this pair of early Edo period Japanese screens a group of tigers prowl in a bamboo grove whipped with fierce wind, while a dragon claws through clouds and mist. The dragon embodies elemental qualities - looming out of the mist, the coils of its body disappearing in the clouds. The dragon is calling for rain, symbolizing spring which is considered the fountain of life. On the other side, the tigers calls for the wind, symbolizing autumn which is considered the end of life. Tigers were familiar motifs within Japanese art from ancient times though the animals were imaginary to the people in the 17th century. While dragons and tigers are usually associated as sacred and ferocious, in this painting, both animals have rather amusing expressions. The tigers appear to glare at the dragon with cat-like eyes, and the look on the swirling dragon’s face appears almost affectionate - lending a playful flair to an otherwise magnificent theme. The tiger and dragon are cosmological symbols of the balancing forces in the world. Screens such as this were originally meant to express the fluctuating nature of the world. For Japanese in the early Edo period, they likely suggested the powers of the cosmos. In Japan the tiger and dragon motif was originally absorbed into the circles of Zen monasteries before spreading into the secular world. The theme especially appealed to the military classes with the Kano school, the official painters to the Shogun and the samurai, being the leading contributors. The painter of this pair of screens, Kaiho Yusetsu (1598-1677), was closely patronized by the third Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. In his later years he worked with Kano school artists...

Japanese two-panel screen: Temples Through Misty Forest. Chinese School landscape ink painting on gilded silk by Yukimatsu Shunpo, signed and dated 1924. Yukimatsu Shunpo was born in...

Rare set of four Japanese Showa period door panels known as Fusuma in Japanese architecture. Similar to a Shoji room divider but made of an opaque materia...

On mulberry paper with silk brocade. From the estate of Andrea Bollt. Artist's seal reads: Mitsushito (died 1922).

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...

Mori Tetsuzan (1775-1841) Pheasants and Cherry Blossoms Two-fold Japanese screen. Ink, color, gofun, gold and silver on paper. A two-fold Japanese bir...

Japanese two-panel screen: Peony, Wisteria, cherry and bamboo on soft silver, Meiji period (1868-1912) painting of a garden in spring. Painted in mineral pigments on oxidized silver ...

Large Japanese Meiji period six-panel screen depicting a winter landscape with a Chinese sage visiting friends in a country villa. Ink and vivid color pigments on mulberry paper mounted to a gilt background. Painted in the 19th century Kano school...

Fantastic Japanese late Meiji period two-panel byobu screen by Hashimoto Koshu. The large screen features two white geese amid brightly colored reeds. The symbolism of geese and reeds was introduced to Japan from China in the 13th century. This was a popular subject for Japanese zen artists of the period. Beautifully crafted with exceptional brush strokes and details. Made with natural pigments in dramatic vivid colors of white, pink, and mint green on a silk background of gilt. Circa 1900 with artist seal on bottom right corner. Koshu studied Western art under...

This is a vintage Torii Gate landscape painting. A Japanese School watercolour, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1960. Inviting Japanese school watercolour, steeped in Japanese...

This is a vintage landscape painting. A Japanese School watercolour, signed by the artist Eizo Kato, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1960. Endearing Japanese school watercolou...

Subtil and refined construction for this Japanese Style laquer. Full of peace and action as well Measure: 15" X 15’’ with the frame.

Meiji period (1868-1912) ink painting of plum branches in bloom against a full moon with calligraphy. The calligraphy is a poem about winter. Signature reads: Matsuura Ryosai, Dated:...

Heron & Plovers Ink and silver leaf on paper Maekawa Bunrei (1837-1917) A pair of low six-panel Japanese screens by Maekawa Bunrei, a later master of the Kyoto based Shijo school of painting. On the right screen a solitary white heron stands motionless in a stream. On the left screen plovers play along a shoreline. The elegant forms are executed employing fluid, minimalistic ink brushstrokes. The soft brushstrokes and the sharp light of the silver leaf lend the scenes a sense of translucence. The sophisticated composition superbly exploits the long, horizontal pictorial surface of the pair of folding screens...

Mineral pigments and gold on mulberry paper. Signature reads: Bunrei-Ga.

Imao Keisho (1902-1993) Pine Trees Early 20th Century, Circa 1930 Pair of six-panel Japanese screens. Ink on silk and gold leaf. Dimensions: Each screen H. 67.5” x 148” (172 cm x 376 cm) A pair of monumental six-panel Japanese pine screens by the renowned Nihonga artist Imao Keisho. Here Keisho entirely removed the background and brought the pine trees to the surface of the painting. This simplification of the elements makes the scene exceptionally direct and compelling and injects a very modern...

Pair of framed vintage Japanese woodblock prints by artist Sanzo Wada (1883–1967) from his series "Occupations of Shōwa Japan in Pictures" (Shōwa shokugyō絵尽). Wood block #1: Titled...

This is a lacquerware craftsman's workbench believed to have been actually used in Fukushima Prefecture and other areas in the Tohoku region between 1945 and 1960. This box-shaped st...

Japanese two-panel screen, deco landscape with river fans. Modern scene of a 12th century festival in Kyoto in which fans are sent down the Kamo River and caught downstream. Taisho (...

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...

Edo period (c. 1800) screen, beautifully painted with excellent details. Kano School painting at its best. An exuberant Audobon landscape being observed by a cat and her kitten. A...

Lacquer painting on wood.

A lotus scene with flowers in bloom floating on the water's surface. As the lotus rise from below for an enlightening process that brings an abundance of purity and beauty. Mineral p...

(no image) With beautiful oxblood color lacquer frame with 19th century bronze mounts.

Kano Naonobu (1607-1650) Plum Tree and Birds Six-fold Japanese Screen. Ink and slight color on paper. In this evocative ink work spread over a six-panel folding screen, we see the consummation of the elegance and refinement of the Edo Kano school. This 17th century screen is a rare surviving example of a large-scale bird and flower painting by Kano Naonobu, the younger brother of Kano Tanyu...

Antique Japanese Blockprint Painting Japan Edo or Meiji. A very nice blockprint. Additional information: Type: Paintings, Scrolls & Prints Region of Origin: Japan Country of Manufa...

PRESENTING a GORGEOUS Medium sized Oil on Canvas, by Japanese Master Impressionist, Hiyashi NoBuo, in beautiful original wood frame. THIS IS MY FAVORITE NOBUO PAINTING! I ADORE IT! ...

Early Kano School painting of pine trees overlooking two beautifully painted cranes and floral design in a natural setting by water’s edge. Mineral pig...

Edo period (18th century) painting of a flowing array of various types of chrysanthemums painted on beautifully faceted heavy gold leaf and behind afinely painted fence. Petals of th...