Yamamoto Baiitsu

Edo / Meiji period 19/20th century

1800-1912

Painting

An ink and coloured painting on paper bordered in silk mounts and lacquered wood jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts a mantis stalking crickets. The painting is done in very pale washed-out tones giving it a wonderful subtle feeling.

Signed Yamamoto Baiitsu with red seal

Scroll size 455mm x 1106mm

Painting size 294mm x 250mm

“After” Watanabe Kazan

Edo period 19th century

1615-1868

Painting

An ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and wooden jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts an oo-kamakiri (Giant mantis) having caught a cicada in its forelegs.

The mantis in Japan is seen as a symbol of courage. It is often associated with the Buddhist concept of the wheel of life, like the proverb: “even the sharp mandibles of the fighting mantis are set at nought by the wheel of fate”. The mantis has its forelegs set high ready to strike, the act of a mantis strike is so sudden as to end the life of another being in a split second.  

Signed Watanabe Kazan with red seal

Scroll size 341mm x 1114mm

Painting size 169mm x 230mm 

Matsui Yoshitani

Meiji period, 19/20th century

1868-1912

Print

A print from the works titled Kokin no negura by the artist Matsui Yoshitani was printed in Tokyo in 1901. The print depicts a type of tit about to catch an insect on a wisteria flower. The works from Kokin no negura are of natural scenes of wildlife in their natural settings.

Signed Matsui Yoshitani

Size 145mm x 210mm

“After” Tani Buncho

Meiji / Taisho, 19th/20th century

1868-1926

Painting

An ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and ivory jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts Gama Sennin, known as the “toad hermit”, he is often seen with a three-legged toad making him easy to identify in Chinese and Japanese art. Gama was thought to have the ability to realise his spirit and fly with the aid of his toad companion. The smoke-like appearance coming from the toad would be signifying this trait.

 

Signed Tani Buncho with red seals

Scroll size 544mm x 1836mm

Painting size 322mm x 955mm

Hirose Ukin

Showa period 20th century

1926-1960

Painting

A pair of ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and bone jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts autumn and spring. The left painting shows the Japanese maple tree leaves as a dark rich red in a misty haze with the sun behind. The other painting depicts blossom branches in a misty haze with a crescent moon in the background.

Signed Hirose Ukin and red seal

Scroll size 385mm x 1920mm each

Painting size 246mm x 1069mm each

Chikanobu Yoshu

Title: Preparing for a concert

Meiji period, 19th century

1896

Print

A three-part print depicting three women under a blossom tree preparing for a concert. The woman on right is holding a sheng (wind pipe) while the woman in the middle is holding a biwa while the woman on the left holds a flute.

Chikanobu Yoshu was a prolific print artist during end of the 19th century. He covered many subjects of the time such as traditional scenes, war, beautiful women and actors. Coming from a samurai family he studied kano style painting and eventually moved to Tokyo to study print design under Kuniyoshi Utagawa. He was seen as one of the last well-known contributors to Japanese print art and design.

Size 235mm x 350mm each

“After” Sakai Hoitsu

Late Edo / Meiji period

1800-1912

Painting

An ink and coloured painting on silk bordered in silk mounts and wooden jikusaki (scroll ends). The painting depicts two ornamental fish swimming between water plants and three small fish fry.

The ornamental fish are known as fantail due to their four-pointed tails. Breading ornamental fish in Japan has been a practice for many years. The fish are commonly found in Japanese ornamental water gardens and are loved for their body markings.

Signed Sakai Hoitsu with red seal

Scroll size 367mm x 1562mm

Painting size 157mm x 659mm