The Four Noble Plants
Sold – no longer available
This piece was handmade by Endō Keizō 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.
You might like these pieces
Details about the sold piece
- Height 189 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
No longer available
Description
This hanging scroll depicts the Four Noble Plants (Shikunshi, 四君子) – plum blossom (Ume), orchid (Ran), bamboo (Take), and chrysanthemum (Kiku). In the East Asian art tradition, they represent the virtues of the scholar: fortitude, modesty, purity, and integrity.
The composition unfolds in a fine vertical arrangement that connects the four seasons in harmonious sequence. The plum blossom heralds spring and renewal, the orchid stands for summer and cultivated grace, the bamboo embodies strength and constancy in autumn, while the chrysanthemum symbolizes winter and the dignity of aging.
Fine lines and clear areas of color alternate, lending the work a calm, balanced elegance. The vivid colors of the blossoms – red, white, yellow, and green – glow against the light background of the silk, creating a subtle balance between vibrancy and stillness.
Painted on silk, with jikusaki of wood, dated to the Shōwa period. The seal refers to Endo Keizo.
