Kakemono Uguisu on Blossoming Plum Tree

Bright pink plum blossoms and round, still-closed buds cover the rising branches of a young plum tree – a classic motif in Japanese painting that heralds the beginning of spring, even before winter has fully receded. In the lower part of the image, a small green uguisu sits on a low-hanging branch, hard to overlook and yet discreetly embedded in the composition. The pairing of plum and uguisu, the Japanese bush warbler, is one of the most popular and meaningful motif pairs in East Asian art.

The bright, almost white background allows the rich pink tones of the blossoms to stand out especially clearly and lends the work a fresh, timeless elegance. The branches are rendered with a sure hand and a fine sense of rhythm, the blossoms executed with careful attention to detail.

The painting bears the signature and seal of Nakamura Shunden (中村春泥) and dates from the Showa period. Painted on silk, with jikusaki made of bone and a light blue brocade mounting with a gold pattern, this hand-painted unique work is accompanied by a signed wooden box.