Kakemono Large Koi with Small Fish in Landscape Format

With a powerful sweep, a large koi winds its way through the picture, while several smaller fish frolic beneath it among finely painted water plants. The movement of the fish appears almost instantaneously captured, as if the painter had fixed the momentary snapshot of a leap onto the paper.

In Japan, the koi is traditionally regarded as a symbol of perseverance, courage, and successful advancement against adversity, since according to legend it becomes a dragon by conquering a waterfall. The fine, at times almost photographic rendering of the scales attests to great pictorial skill and precise observation of nature.

This hanging scroll from the Edo period was executed on paper and mounted in a fitting with a wooden rod, which points to its considerable age and its antiquarian value. For collectors of historical Japanese ink painting, this work represents a particularly appealing piece with a long provenance.