Kakemono Grapes

One of a kind — this work exists only once.

Period:
Shôwa (1926–1989)
Dimensions (height x width):
120 x 42 cm
Item number:
4377

This piece has been sold.

Sold – no longer available

This piece was a handmade 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.

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Details about the sold piece

  • JikusakiSculpture
  • Material HonshiPaper
  • MotifFlowers and Plants
  • TechniqueHand-Painted

Description

Heavily hanging clusters of grapes wind across a wide expanse of paper in this hanging scroll, accompanied by large, jagged leaves and sweeping tendrils that curl artfully at the lower edge of the composition. The pure ink painting creates an appealing interplay of light and dark areas through varying degrees of dilution.

The grapevine is among the motifs treasured in Japan since the medieval period in literati painting, standing for abundance, fertility, and a certain delight in nature's plenty. The spontaneous, calligraphic brushwork allows both the firm foliage and the soft, round grapes to be rendered convincingly with just a few strokes.

This work, executed on paper, dates from the Shôwa period and bears the artist's signature as well as the red seal at the lower edge of the composition. The reduced, elegant pictorial language makes this kakemono an elegant yet unobtrusive piece for collectors of classical Japanese plant painting.

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