Birds, Blossoms and Peonies
Sold – no longer available
This piece was a handmade one-of-a-kind work. It cannot be reordered and will never exist in this form again. The page stays online as part of our archive.
You might like these pieces
Details about the sold piece
- Height 170 cm
- Width 62 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Silk
- Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
In the branches of a gnarled, flowering tree, several small birds gather: some are perched, others are captured in flight, their wings spread wide. At the foot of the tree, lush red and orange peony blossoms open, their leaves painted in a strong green. In the upper left, a calligraphic inscription with a red artist's seal completes the composition and lends it a poetic touch.
This combination of birds, flowering branch and peonies is one of the classic motifs of Japanese bird-and-flower painting (Kachô-ga) and symbolizes abundance, joy of life and the change of the seasons. The work was created in the Meiji period on fine silk, which lends the rich coloring a warm, velvety depth. The picture support is mounted on wood.
With its dense, lively composition and harmonious coloring, this kakemono, titled Birds, Blossoms and Peonies, is a particularly appealing example of traditional Japanese painting and an enrichment for any collection of Asian art.
