Pensive Lady with Clay Vessel

Name: Pensive Lady with Clay Vessel
Brand: Bessho Shizudo
SKU: 5931
Price: 390.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, 182 x 55 cm

Product number: 5931

Height 182 cm
Width 55 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Bone
Material Honshi Silk
Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes

Signature / Stamp:

Bessho Shizudo

€390.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

A young woman in an olive-green kimono with a blue-green collar, her gaze lowered toward a small clay vessel that she holds carefully in both hands – a typical bijinga depiction that relies less on outward splendor than on a quiet, introspective moment.

The hanging scroll bears the signature and seal of Bessho Shizudo. The delicate coloring of the face and robe stands in contrast to the bolder, darker patterning of the fabric, giving the figure a lively presence despite the reduced palette. The subject's concentration on the vessel in her hands lends the image a narrative quality, without imposing any specific story – the viewer is free to form their own thoughts about the moment.

Bijinga hanging scrolls like this one were popular ornamental pieces for the tokonoma in traditional Japanese households and still stand today for the high art of figure painting.

Frequently asked

Does this work carry a seal or signature?

Yes, this piece carries the signature or seal of Bessho Shizudo

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?.