Autumn Chrysanthemums
- Height 190 cm
- Width 51 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Bone
- Material Honshi Silk
- Period of Creation Taishô (1912–1926)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
- Wooden Box Yes
Description
Lush white chrysanthemum blossoms unfold in full splendor amid large, blue leaves, while red berries on delicate branches provide accents. A small, brown-feathered songbird sits on a moss-covered rock, gazing attentively into the scene. The composition captures the cool freshness of the autumn wind, as suggested in the calligraphy: "The west wind cools the chrysanthemums, in the autumn of the third year…". In Japanese tradition, chrysanthemums symbolize longevity, purity, and the quiet beauty of the late season, while the bird adds a lively, poetic touch.
The kakemono bears the signature and seal of Amano Shuryo, an artist of the Taisho period who specialized in fine kacho-ga painting. In this brief but culturally rich era (1912–1926), many painters combined traditional motifs with a sensitive, almost romantic sensibility that emphasized the transience of the seasons and the harmony of nature. Amano Shuryo's works are characterized by precise color gradients and an elegant compositional balance.
Painted on silk, this unique work unfolds a soft, luminous color palette with subtle gray and blue tones that make the petals appear delicate and dimensional. The jikusaki made of bone lend the piece a refined, classic mounting. It is presented with a wooden box. This hand-painted kakemono brings the meditative beauty of the Japanese autumn into any room and is especially suited to lovers of traditional flower-and-bird painting who value fine execution and poetic expression.
