Shibata Zeshin

Meiji period, 19th century

1887

Painting

An ink painting on silk bordered in silk mounds and bone jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts the Takarabune (Treasure Ship) whereupon can be found the seven luck gods from right to left: Hotei's sack, Bishamon, Jurojin, Fukurokuju, Benten, Daikoku's mallet, and Ebisu, a minogame (bushy-tailed turtle) jumping aboard at left, a crane descending from upper left, all against a large rising sun. the ships sail is emblazoned with the word Takara (Treasure) and laden with a kadomatsu (cut pine sapling).

The painting is signed at right Gyonen hachijuichi-o Zeshin utsusu and sealed Shin, making him aged 81 when painting this in the year 1887. A similar painting subject of Jurojin signed in the same year can be found in the Honolulu Academy of arts as part of the Mr & Mrs E O’Brien Collection.  

Signed Gyonen hachijuichi-o Zeshin utsusu and sealed Shin

2010mm x 505mm

Unknown Artist

Taisho / Showa period 20th century

1926-1989

Scroll Painting

An ink and coloured painting on paper bordered in silk mounts and lacquered ceramic jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts Hagoromo “The Feather Mantle”, one of the most preformed Noh plays.

The story tells of a fisherman coming across the Hagoromo, the feather mantle of a spirit dancer. The spirit sees the fisherman taking the mantle and demands he return it. The fisherman agrees but only if he may see the spirit’s dance. The spirit agrees and preforms the dance representing the changes of the moon after the dance the spirit disappears.

Size 620mm x 1380mm

Red Seal unknown artist

Onihi Keisai

Edo period 18th/19th century

1773-1829

Painting

A pair of ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and bone jikusaki (scroll ends). The left painting depicts two ducks in water under moonlight. The painting on the right shows a heron standing on the water’s edge with an iris flower hanging above.  

Signed Onihi Kisai with red seal

Scroll size 525mm x 1852mm

Painting size 347mm x 1008mm

Utagawa, Kuniyoshi

Edo Period 19th century

1615-1868

Published (between 1843 and 1846)

Woodblock Print

The title of the work is Shichifukujin takarabune by the artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861). The work depicts the seven gods of fortune (Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Benzaiten, Fukurokuju, Hotei, and Jurōjin) in a treasure boat.

Kuniyoshi was born on January 1st, 1798, his farther Yanagiya Kichiyemon ran a silk-dying business where Kuniyoshi would help his father as a pattern designer. Some people believe he was to grow his talents in colour and design from his time working there.  

Kuniyoshi by the age of 12 attracted the attention of the famous ukiyo-e print master Utagawa Toyokuni. He was officially admitted to Toyokuni’s studio in 1811 and became one of his leading pupils. Kuniyoshi was to go on to be seen as one of the last great masters of woodblock printing during the Edo period before japan was to open up to the world, changing things in japan forever.  

730mm x 250mm

Signed Utagawa, Kuniyoshi

Ka〇

Taisho / Showa period, 20th century

1926-1950

Painting

An ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and bone jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts chrysanthemum flowers supported by bamboo canes and a dragonfly on a leaf. Chrysanthemums have been loved in Japan for hundreds of years and used as the imperial symbol of the emperor, and the dragonfly is seen to represent victory and valour.

Signed Ka〇

Scroll size 532mm x 2041mm

Painting size 351mm x 1166mm

Gekko

Title: Cherry Blossom Feast at Daigo-ji Temple

Meiji period, 19th century

1898

Print

A woodblock print by Gekko depicting Nobel lades and a priest walking through cherry blossoms at Daigo-ji Temple. Daigo-ji Temple was founded in the early Heian period in 874. The temple is an important site for the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. Surrounded by mountains it stands southeast of central Kyoto.

Size 238mm x 355mm

“After” Kano Tanyu Morinobu

late Edo / Meiji period, 19th/20th century

1850-1912

Painting

An ink painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and bone jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts a dragon flying out of a spiralling storm above sea waves.  

In China and Japan, dragons are associated with clouds and water and believed to be able to control the rain. Dragons have been frequently portrayed by ink painters in both China and Japan, famously by the 13th-century Chinese painter Chen Rong.

This painting is signed by the Edo period master artist Kano Tanyu Morinobu “4 March 1602 – 4 November 1674”. It is highly unlikely that this painting is by Kano Tanyu and is far more likely to be a late Edo or Meiji period artist who has put his name on to make it more desirable.

Signed Kano Tanyu Morinobu and red seal

Scroll size 508mm x 1739mm

Painting size 311mm x 909mm