Raccoon Dog in Moonlight
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 190 cm
- Width 60 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Silk
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
Huddled up with an alert gaze, a small raccoon dog – called "tanuki" in Japan and often referred to as a raccoon dog in this country – sits here beneath an overhanging branch of blooming bush clover. Above it floats a delicate crescent moon, painted in soft ink tones, lending the whole scene a calm, autumnal night mood. The animal's dense, plush fur is masterfully rendered with fine brushstrokes and gentle shading.
In Japanese folk culture, the tanuki is considered a clever, cunning creature and is often associated with prosperity and good fortune, while bush clover (hagi) is a classic symbol of autumn. This combination of animal and plant motifs was especially popular among painters of the kachō-ga tradition. Created on silk during the Shōwa period, the work is bordered by a light blue-gray frame and mounted on a wooden rod.
With its charming choice of motif and evocative night scenery, this kakemono, Raccoon Dog in Moonlight, is a particularly endearing collector's piece for lovers of Japanese animal painting.
