Kakemono Two Koi Carp in Water

One dark and one brightly orange koi swim closely side by side through clear water, their scales individually rendered with the finest brushstrokes. The contrast between the restrained coloring of one fish and the vivid orange of the other brings movement and vitality to the tranquil composition.

In Japan, koi are regarded as a symbol of perseverance, luck, and the successful handling of life's adversities – a meaning derived from the legend according to which a koi that climbs a waterfall transforms into a dragon. The image of two koi swimming together also stands for harmony and partnership.

The work bears the signature and seal of Mei Harutaka and was created in the Meiji period. Painted on paper and fitted with a jikusaki made of bone, this hand-painted unique work brings the quiet symbolic power of the koi into any living space.