Pine Trunk with Scaly Bark in Ink
Sold – no longer available
This piece was handmade by Sekihō and was a 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.
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Details about the sold piece
- Height 168 cm
- Width 77 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Paper
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
As a symbol of endurance and long life, the pine has been a favored motif in Japanese art for centuries, and this hanging scroll, too, is devoted entirely to the gnarled trunk of an old tree. In fine gray tones of ink, the artist traces the scaly bark and the far-reaching needle branches, so that the tree appears almost three-dimensional despite the monochrome palette.
The signature and a red seal at the lower edge of the image confirm the authorship, while the loose, confident brushwork attests to an accomplished painter. The composition focuses entirely on the tree, whose branches run diagonally through the image and give the viewer the feeling of standing beneath the crown themselves.
The brocade mounting shows some age-related damage in the upper area, which lends this hanging scroll, painted on paper, its museum-like character as an antique. For collectors who are enthusiastic about the quiet power of old pine motifs, this hanging scroll is an impressive example of Japanese ink painting.
