Kakemono Peonies with Butterflies

One of a kind — this work exists only once.

Period:
Shôwa (1926–1989)
Dimensions (height x width):
124 x 71 cm
Item number:
4394

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

  • JikusakiWood
  • Material HonshiPaper
  • MotifAnimals, Flowers and Plants
  • TechniqueHand-Painted

Description

This lively hanging scroll dates from the Shôwa period and shows a pink and a creamy white peony joining into a lush bouquet of blossoms, while two orange butterflies circle playfully around the flowers in flight. Fine dewdrops on the dark green leaves heighten the impression of a fresh summer morning.

The interplay of peonies and butterflies is a popular motif in Japanese flower painting, combining the symbolic meaning of the peony as the queen of flowers with the butterfly as an emblem of joy, transformation, and a fulfilled, long life. The accompanying calligraphy in the upper left further underscores the festive character of the image.

Painted on paper and mounted in a wooden frame, this kakemono impresses with its luminous, carefully graduated color palette and precise detail painting. A particularly decorative and cheerful work for collectors of classical Japanese flower and insect painting.

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