Kakemono Bee

Wisteria vines hanging down from above with delicate pale purple clusters of blossoms dominate the composition of this hanging scroll, while on the right a small bee hovers in flight toward the flowers. The leaves are rendered in varying shades of green with fine, darker veining, lending the painting a natural vividness. The reduced, almost sketch-like rendering of the bee stands in appealing contrast to the detailed depiction of the blossoms.

The work, painted on silk, bears the signature and seal of the artist Syunsui Kawabata and dates from the Meiji period. The Jikusaki made of bone completes the high-quality, traditional mounting of the hanging scroll. Motifs from fauna and flora such as this one are among the classic themes of Japanese hanging scroll painting and are frequently associated with the seasons, here with spring, when wisteria blooms.

The combination of insect and blossom often stands for the fleeting happiness of the moment in the Japanese pictorial tradition. Collectors of kacho-ga, classical bird-and-flower painting, as well as lovers of fine botanical depictions will take delight in this piece from the Meiji period.