Kakemono Sakura Branch in Delicate Spring Light

Delicate white and pale pink blossoms open along a gnarled, dark-inked branch, accompanied by tender brown young leaves that have only just begun to announce spring. The fine, naturalistic rendering of the individual blossoms stands in appealing contrast to the bold, almost calligraphic linework of the branch itself.

The cherry blossom is regarded as Japan's best-known symbol for the transience of life: its brief, intense blooming period recalls the beauty of the moment and has been celebrated in poetry and painting for centuries. This depiction captures precisely that delicate, fleeting moment in which the first blossoms open. The work bears the signature and seal of Hishida Shigehiru and was created in the Shôwa period. Painted on paper and fitted with a jikusaki of wood, this hand-painted unique work is an evocative homage to the Japanese spring.