Hasegawa Gyokuhō – 長谷川玉峰 (1822-1879) – Kachō-ga (花鳥画)

SOLD. -THANK-YOU!

Kachō-ga (花鳥画) means bird and flower composition and is one of the most important types of painting composition in Asian art history. The birds and flowers are paired and painted to represent different seasons and they all have ancient meanings. Here, the bird represents the Yang – things open, bright, solar and communicative. The begonia, because of the way it droops and weeps, is a Zen reminder of the melancholy of life, and so usually represents autumn, which is a time of transition into decay, but during which the begonia can still bloom until nights of frost.

Born in Kyoto in 1822, Hasegawa was trained by Matsumura Keibun (1779-1843) and could paint almost exactly like his master. He also studied with Yokoyama Seiki, who was another great master of the Maruyama-Shijō school. One of his great talents was bird and flower compositions, as well as painting landscapes in the Shijō tradition, which is on full display here.

The signature can be matched with this piece held at The MET. Normal, still very enjoyable condition for its age, owing to the fact that the mounting artisan that constructed this piece around Hasegawa’s honshi (main painted area), was no doubt one of the top mounting artisans in Kyoto, and after more than 140 years there is still no worrisome seam separation. Noticeable creases and some faint water stains in the “chi” (textile beneath the painting).

16″ x 70″ – $225 – Price includes shipping worldwide! Comes with a signed and sealed document of authenticity and an email with links to roughly 3 hours-worth of further reading and documentary viewing related to the piece. All prices in Canadian dollars. Shipped in an industrial strength tube with layers of bubble-wrap.