Mother with Children in the Snow

Name: Mother with Children in the Snow
SKU: 4921
Price: 420.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, 164 x 48 cm

Product number: 4921

Height 164 cm
Width 48 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Wood
Material Honshi Paper
Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes

€420.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

A mother under a wide sun hat carries a small child in a cloth against her chest, while two other children trudge through the snow at her side – one of them leading a small dog on a leash. The footprints in the snow and the careful, somewhat hunched posture of the children immediately convey the coldness of the scene, while the mother's calm, upright gait radiates protection and security.

The delicate coloring in white, red, and muted black, as well as the fine floral patterns on the children's garments, show the attention to detail typical of Bijinga painting, here applied to an entire family scene.

Such depictions of a mother with several children are rarer than classic individual portraits and lend this hanging scroll a particularly warm, domestic quality.

Frequently asked

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?.