Cranes in Flight over Bamboo

Name: Cranes in Flight over Bamboo
Brand: Tosa Mitsusada
SKU: 6463
Price: 360.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, with box, 126 x 69 cm

Product number: 6463

Height 126 cm
Width 69 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Bone
Material Honshi Silk
Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes
Wooden Box Yes

Signature / Stamp:

Tosa Mitsusada

€360.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

A group of cranes glides through the sky in harmonious formation, their white bodies and black wingtips rendered in flowing lines, as if gently carried by the wind. In the lower area, a dense bamboo grove extends in warm tones of green, yellow, and brown, grounding the scene and creating a natural depth. The composition radiates freedom, longevity, and the timeless elegance of the cranes, which are regarded in Japanese culture as messengers of fortune and immortality.

The work presumably dates from the Meiji period and bears the signature and seal of Tosa Mitsusada. In this era, many representatives of the Tosa school combined classical Yamato-e traditions with a fine, detailed brushwork that united nature motifs with symbolic depth and poetic expression. Such depictions of cranes and bamboo were especially prized, as they embody harmony and permanence.

Painted on silk, the unique work displays a soft, nuanced color palette with precise brushstrokes that give the cranes' feathers a sculptural quality and make the bamboo leaves appear vivid. The jikusaki made of bone lend the piece a refined, traditional mounting. It comes with a wooden box. This hand-painted kakemono brings the majestic beauty of Japanese nature and symbolic painting into the room and is especially suited for lovers of classical motifs who value fine execution, symbolic meaning, and meditative expression.

Frequently asked

Does this piece come with a wooden box (Tomobako)?

Yes, this work is delivered with a wooden box.

Does this work carry a seal or signature?

Yes, this piece carries the signature or seal of Tosa Mitsusada

When was the work created?

Based on the previous owners' information and the condition of the object we place it broadly in the Meiji (1868–1912) period, but cannot give a precise date.

Is this genuine craftsmanship?

Yes, this piece is a genuine handcrafted original that exists only once.

Why does the date of creation sometimes not match the artist's dates

Because the two pieces of information speak about different things: the period designation describes the object – support, colors, condition – while the signature reflects which name appears on the painting. In most cases there is no attempt at deception behind this, but rather Japanese painting training: copying from workshop models was the curriculum for centuries, an utsushi is regarded as a bow to the teacher, workshops signed with the master's name, and artist names were passed down within a school. Such a hanging scroll is therefore not a forgery, but a hand-painted one-of-a-kind that continues the formal language of its school – just not the work of the famous name, and priced accordingly. We explain this in detail in the guide Why does a kakemono often bear the signature of an artist long deceased?.