Kakemono Waterfall in Calligraphic Brushstroke

One of a kind — this work exists only once.

Signature / Stamp:
Nakajima Raiaki
Period:
Shôwa (1926–1989)
Dimensions (height x width):
196 x 36 cm
Item number:
6177

This piece has been sold.

Sold – no longer available

This piece was handmade by Nakajima Raiaki and was a 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.

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Details about the sold piece

  • JikusakiBone
  • Material HonshiPaper
  • MotifLandscape
  • TechniqueHand-Painted

Description

With powerful, almost calligraphic brushstrokes, this kakemono captures the dynamism of a waterfall: bands of black ink plunge down from the top of the image, while the pale paper ground suggests the spray and mist of the falling water. The reduced pictorial language recalls the tradition of suiboku painting, in which a few deliberately placed lines make an entire force of nature palpable.

The motif is executed on paper and bears the signature and seal of Nakajima Raiaki, a painter of the Shôwa period. The restrained coloring makes the composition appear like a snapshot in which movement and stillness are captured at once.

The waterfall has long been regarded in Japan as a symbol of purification and unbroken power and was a popular motif among painters influenced by Buddhism. The roller of the hanging scroll is fitted with fittings made of bone, indicating a carefully crafted, high-quality mounting. A stylish piece for lovers of reduced Japanese ink painting.

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