Kakemono Pair of Cranes at Sunrise

One of a kind — this work exists only once.

Period:
Shôwa (1926–1989)
Dimensions (height x width):
197 x 60 cm
Item number:
4273

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

  • JikusakiBone
  • Material HonshiSilk
  • MotifAnimals
  • TechniqueHand-Painted

Description

With its beak wide open, one of the two cranes in this kakemono seems to call out to the rising sun, while its partner calmly preens its feathers – a lively, almost anecdotal scene that stands out clearly from more static, classical crane depictions.

The vividly red solar disk in the upper part of the image and the delicate pine branches in the background are executed with a confident hand in warm gold tones, while the birds' plumage shifts through the finest black-and-white contrasts. The painting was created in the Shôwa period on silk, signed and provided with a red seal; the jikusaki ends are made of bone.

In Japanese pictorial symbolism, pairs of cranes are regarded as an emblem of marital fidelity and a long life together, which is why such motifs were often given as gifts for weddings or anniversaries. This kakemono, titled Pair of Cranes at Sunrise, captivates with its lively pictorial language and fine painterly execution.

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