Maeda Handen – 前田半田 (1817-1878) – 梅生け花 – Plum blossom ikebana

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Maeda-san was born in Tsurugi, which is a town in Mima District, Tokushima Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku in Japan.  The child of a doctor, he learned painting under the great Nakajima Raisho (who taught Kawabata Gyokushō and Kōno Bairei!), which places him solidly in the Maruyama Shijo tradition. He also studied with the immortal Yamamoto Baiitsu, who helped expand on his masterly approach to painting flowers. His talents as a literati painter drawing from Confucian philosophy, the Chinese classics and the depths of calligraphy were further rounded by study with Nukina Kaioku -who’s work we see an excellent example of (and his influence on Maeda-san’s calligraphy) here at the MET. The poetry he wrote on this piece speaks of the beauty of plum blossoms over the course of the artist’s years of experience. The subject matter contains ancient symbolism that makes it auspicious, and we would be more than happy to explain how that came to be. Excellent condition for its age and highly recommended! This is a smaller size scroll that is easy to find space for.

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