Kakemono
The Wise Man in the Moonlight
One of a kind — this work exists only once.
- Period:
- Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Dimensions (width x height):
- 58 x 180 cm
- Item number:
- 3460
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.
More items in category Monks, Warriors, Beautiful WomenAll one-of-a-kind Japanese Painting pieces
See new one-of-a-kind pieces first
We feature every delivery from Japan in the newsletter first – before the pieces show up in search results.
You might like these pieces
Mori Ippo
Fisherman's Huts in Moonlight
Kakemono, unique work, 180 x 53 cm
€290.00
The Three Sages
Kakemono, unique work, 195 x 65 cm
€90.00
Kamenaga Goro
Woman Under a Sakura Branch
Kakemono, unique work, 190 x 60 cm
€320.00
Seifune
Young Woman in Front of Her Kimono Cabinet
Kakemono, unique work, with box, 195 x 65 cm
€520.00
Old Calligrapher
Kakemono, unique work, 149 x 42 cm
€140.00
Tanaka Koga
Hermit with Small Dragon
Kakemono, unique work, 185 x 68 cm
€170.00
Hina Dolls with Plum Blossoms and Vase
Kakemono, unique work, 171 x 43 cm
€80.00
Ueda Gizan
Bodhidharma - Straight to the Heart
Kakemono, unique work, with box, 135 x 34 cm
€450.00
Details about the sold piece
- JikusakiWood
- Material HonshiPaper
- TechniqueHand-Painted
Description
In fine, mostly uncolored ink lines, this piece captures a bearded scholar or sage figure, holding a whisk in hand and seeming to sit before a circular, moon-like surface. The restrained coloring draws the eye entirely to the linework of robe, beard, and face, while the bright circle in the background lends the image its quiet, almost otherworldly atmosphere.
Such sage or immortal figures belong to a popular motif in East Asian painting, one that traces back to Daoist and Confucian ideas of longevity, scholarship, and inner calm. Depicted before the moon, the figure appears absorbed in a moment of contemplation, removed from everyday affairs.
The motif was painted by hand on paper, presumably in the Shôwa period, and the hanging scroll is mounted with wooden jikusaki. The slightly yellowed patina of the paper lends the kakemono the additional charm of an aged unique work. For lovers of classical ink painting with a philosophical undertone, this piece is a quiet, characterful choice.