Kakemono Water Carrier by the Tethered Horse

Carrying a bucket in his hand, probably with water for the animal, a man in this kakemono walks away from his horse, which is tethered with a rope to a tall post beneath a small canopy roof. The horse wears a plain harness, while the man continues on his way with a focused stride across the open, sparsely decorated picture ground.

The figures are drawn with sparse but confident lines, with the leg positions of man and animal in particular creating a convincing sense of movement. The wide, almost empty pictorial space reinforces the impression of an open, rural setting and draws the eye entirely to the small everyday scene in the lower third of the image.

Such unpretentious genre scenes from rural everyday life were highly popular in Japanese painting, as they offered an unadorned view of simple life beyond courtly or religious motifs. For collectors interested in lively everyday scenes, this kakemono, Water Carrier by the Tethered Horse, is an appealing choice.