Kakemono Pair of Cranes Before the Red Sun in Ink Tones

Two red-crowned cranes stand close together on a gnarled pine branch, one of them elegantly stretching its neck toward the rising red sun. In Japan these birds have long been regarded as a symbol of fidelity and long life, an association reinforced by the evergreen pine, which carries the same meaning and whose needles are finely rendered reaching into the composition.

The plumage is executed in the finest hand-painting on silk, with carefully placed black feather tips standing out clearly against the pure white of the body, and delicate red accents at the crown of the birds. The warm orange tones of the sun and the dark pine needles create an appealing contrast; the work dates from the Shōwa period.

Mounted on a gold-colored, floral-patterned silk border with plastic rollers, the kakemono comes in a wooden box (tomobako) signed by the artist. A classic auspicious motif, well suited as a gift for weddings or anniversaries and equally convincing as a stand-alone wall hanging.