Kakemono Lotus with Leaf, Blossom and Seed Pod

With a large, funnel-shaped upturned lotus leaf, a lotus blossom with falling petals and the typical seed pod pierced with holes, together with a curled young leaf and prickly stems, this kakemono depicts an unusual plant motif beyond the common cherry or plum blossom painting. The fine veins of the leaf are executed with a confident hand in delicate gray. At the top is a five-line poem inscription with its own signature and two seals; at the lower left is the painter's signature 竹窓 … 寫 with two seals.

Such botanically precise yet artistically condensed plant depictions have a long tradition in Japanese ink painting and testify to the careful observation of nature that many painters cultivated. The combination of blossom and ripening seed pod alludes to the natural cycle of blooming and fruiting. The kakemono shows some age-related damage at the mounting, which, however, does not detract from the overall impression and at the same time lets the piece reveal its long history.

For collectors of unusual plant motifs in Japanese painting, this work is an original discovery.