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Samurai on Brown Horse Above the Mountains

Kakemono, unique work, with box, 190 x 60 cm
Product number: 5333

Sold – no longer available

This piece was handmade by Seikei 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 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
  • Wooden Box Yes
Signature / Stamp:
Seikei
Sold

No longer available

Description

Full of movement, a fully armored samurai gallops on his horse through a lightly indicated mountain landscape on this kakemono. Splendidly patterned lacquered leather, an elaborately woven quiver with arrows, and a bow in riding position attest to the care with which the armor was rendered down to the last detail, while the horse's flowing mane and flared nostrils lend the image dynamism.

Such depictions of warriors were popular motifs in Japan, celebrating courage, honor, and the ideals of Bushidô, and often meant to recall historical or legendary military commanders. The strong, clear colors of red, blue, and gold stand out effectively against the restrained gold tone of the background.

The painting is executed on silk, the jikusaki is made of wood, and the piece dates from the Shôwa period. It comes in a wooden box (tomobako) signed by the artist, which further documents its provenance and represents a nice added value for collectors of historical Japanese painting.

Frequently asked

No – as a one-of-a-kind piece it exists in a single example only.
We would be glad to look for one. Get in touch with the details of the object you are looking for and we will see what we can do.
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?.