Kakemono Pavilion under the Old Pine

Beneath a mighty, gnarled pine, several scholars gather on a terrace by the water in this large-format kakemono, while a crane stands beside them and, in the background, a waterfall plunges over rugged rocks. At the left edge of the picture, servants can be seen going about their daily work, lending the scene a narrative depth rarely combined within a single image.

The motif follows the Chinese tradition of mountain reclusion, in which scholars devote themselves to quiet life in nature, far from worldly bustle. The fine, multilayered coloring and the wealth of detail testify to extraordinary painterly skill.

The work is painted on paper, the jikusaki is made of wood, created in the Shôwa period. This kakemono in XXL format comes in a wooden box (tomobako) signed by the artist and, through its size and wealth of detail, is a particularly striking eye-catcher for generous walls.