Kakemono Autumn Tree by the Riverbank

A gnarled tree in autumnal red and orange foliage, leaning over a rocky stretch of riverbank, while in the distance birds fly over the calm water – an evocative riverside landscape in the spirit of autumn.

The hanging scroll bears the signature and seal of Mori Ippo (1798–1872). The crown of foliage is finely dotted in warm shades of red and brown, while rock and water are rendered in restrained gray, so that the tree stands as a clear focal point above the expansive river landscape. The small flocks of birds at the upper edge of the image lend the composition additional depth and recall the migration of birds, which in Japan is traditionally associated with autumn.

This piece forms a harmonious pendant pair with a second hanging scroll by the same painter, depicting a moonlit riverside scene, and is equally suited as a standalone landscape painting for the tokonoma.