Songbird on Blossoming Plum Tree
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 184 cm
- Width 30 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Wood
- Material Honshi Silk
- Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
At the lower edge of the picture rises a gnarled, sweeping plum tree, its dark, animated silhouette forming a striking contrast to the light silk ground. A small songbird has alighted on one of the sturdy branches, turning its head slightly to the side as if pausing for a moment. Fine, nearly bare twigs stretch upward and sideways, dotted with delicate white blossoms and closed buds – a quiet hint of approaching spring.
The composition draws its life from the deliberate use of empty space: the wide, airy upper portion of the picture allows the fine twigs to breathe freely and lends the work that contemplative calm characteristic of traditional Japanese painting. The brushwork shifts skillfully between bold, ink-laden accents on the trunk and the finest lines in the branches.
The painting dates from the Meiji period. Executed in traditional technique on silk, it is presented in a subtly patterned fabric mounting with jikusaki made of wood. As a hand-painted unique work from Japan, this kakemono brings an authentic piece of East Asian art history into the living space.
