1 of 10

Meiji Period Painted Golden Screen with Cranes by Mochizuki Gyokkei from 1906

$418,421.81List Priceper set

About the Item

A striking pair of Meiji period six-panel folding screens by Mochizuki Gyokkei (1874-1939) showing a flock of cranes. Together the two screens disclose a gorgeous seven-meter wide composition of interacting individuals, painted in ink, gofun and mineral colors on a glittering gold background. It is a rare large-size example of Gyokkei's excellent skills in rendering cranes in different postures, which can also be seen at the famous Heian shrine in Kyoto, where he created the interior design for the garden's pavillon Shobi-kan with the paintings of many cranes. This building was moved from the imperial palace to the shrine's grounds in Taisho 2 (1912) and Gyokkkei was commissioned to recreate the wall design. However, compared to these paintings, the artist’s signature on the left screen mentions a completion of the work on a winter’s day in Meiji 39 (1906). So the screen painting appears to be six years older than the door panel and sliding door paintings at the Heian shrine. Interesting is, that Gyokkei used in fact some of the cranes from the screens as model for his wall paintings, which show for example a crane that seems to be a direct copy of the right screen's running crane with spread wings. Unfortunetly the Shobi-kan building and its impressive layout by Gyokkei is only occasionally open to the public. Another magnificant more public work by Gyokkei, not with cranes but with peafowls, can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (For reference see: Arts of Japan: The John C. Weber Collection, Museum of East Asian Art, Berlin (2006)) In Gyokkei's work one can detect more than two centuries of predecessors in bird-and-flower painting like the Chinese-style works by the Nagasaki school founder Shen Nanpin (ca. 1682-1780) and the naturalistic approach of Maruyama Okyo (1733-1795) and his lineage. Mochizuki Gyokkei was the successor of his father Mochizuki Gyokusen (1834-1913), who has been working for the imperial palace as well. From him, Gyokkei inhereted his accurate brushwork through his training in the fifth-genration familiy style tracing back to his great-grandfather Mochizuki Gyokusen (1692–1755), who established the familiy studio combining these elements of Chinese painting of the Kishi school with influences by Shen Nanping and Japanese paintings by the Maruyama-Shijō school as well as western painting techniques. The overall condition is very good. One of the crane's wings has been retouched by a professional Japanes art restorer. There are only few minor traces of age and usage. Both screens are signed. Left screen: 'Heian Gyokkei ga' (Painted by Gyokkei from Kyoto); Right screen: 'Bô Gyokkei ga' (Painted by Bô Gyokkei); and sealed: 'Bô in Shigenobu' (Seal of Bô Gyokkei) and 'Gyokusen'. Left screen is dated: 'A winter’s day of Meiji 39' (1906). Dimensions: H 173,5 x W 366 cm (each)

Creator:
Mochizuki Gyokkei (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 68.51 in (174 cm)Width: 144.1 in (366 cm)Depth: 0.4 in (1 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Meiji (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Gold Leaf,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
1900-1909
Date of Manufacture:
1906
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Berlin, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4555114240072

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silk, Wood

Meiji Period Japanese Four Panel Screen Bijin At Leisure

$40,250

H 62.5 in W 142 in D 0.75 in

Japanese Meiji Period Painted Screen with Gold Fleck Paint

Located in Stamford, CT

Japanese Meiji period (1868-1912) painted screen with gold fleck paint. Remounted during Showa period (1926-1989).

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silk

Japanese Meiji Period Painted Screen with Gold Fleck Paint

$24,000

H 69.5 in W 75.5 in D 0.75 in

Japanese Silver Screen Pair, Meiji Period, Herons Plovers, Shijo School

Located in Kyoto, JP

Heron & Plovers Ink and silver leaf on paper Maekawa Bunrei (1837-1917) A pair of low six-panel Japanese screens by Maekawa Bunrei, a later master of the Kyoto based Shijo school of painting. On the right screen a solitary white heron stands motionless in a stream. On the left screen plovers play along a shoreline. The elegant forms are executed employing fluid, minimalistic ink brushstrokes. The soft brushstrokes and the sharp light of the silver leaf lend the scenes a sense of translucence. The sophisticated composition superbly exploits the long, horizontal pictorial surface of the pair of folding screens...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silver Leaf

Japanese Silver Screen Pair, Meiji Period, Herons Plovers, Shijo School

$22,500 / set

H 35 in W 98 in D 0.75 in

Japanese Meiji Two Panel Screen Geese and Reeds

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Fantastic Japanese late Meiji period two-panel byobu screen by Hashimoto Koshu. The large screen features two white geese amid brightly colored reeds. The symbolism of geese and reeds was introduced to Japan from China in the 13th century. This was a popular subject for Japanese zen artists of the period. Beautifully crafted with exceptional brush strokes and details. Made with natural pigments in dramatic vivid colors of white, pink, and mint green on a silk background of gilt. Circa 1900 with artist seal on bottom right corner. Koshu studied Western art under...

Category

20th Century Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silk, Wood, Paper

Japanese Meiji Two Panel Screen Geese and Reeds

$20,000

H 74.5 in W 73 in D 0.75 in

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen

Located in Fukuoka, JP

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen Period: Meiji Size: 352 x 174 cm SKU: 2424 Step back in time with this Meiji period screen, where the allure of silver oxidation artfully c...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silver Leaf

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen

$4,170

H 68.51 in W 138.59 in D 1.19 in

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen

Located in Fukuoka, JP

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen Period: Meiji Size: 352 x 174 cm SKU: 2423 Step back in time with this Meiji period screen, where the allure of silver oxidation artfully c...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Silver Leaf

Meiji Period Silver Oxidized Screen

$4,170

H 68.51 in W 138.59 in D 1.19 in

Meiji Era, Circa 1900 Japanese Screen Pair, Flowers Birds of Spring Autumn

Located in Kyoto, JP

Flowers & Birds of Spring and Autumn Unknown artist. Japan. Meiji period, circa 1900. A pair of six-fold screens. Ink, color, gofun and gold leaf on paper. Signed: Gaga S...

Category

Antique 1890s Japanese Meiji Paintings and Screens

Materials

Gold Leaf

Meiji Era, Circa 1900 Japanese Screen Pair, Flowers Birds of Spring Autumn

$32,000 / set

H 68 in W 148 in D 0.75 in

Japanese Two-Panel Screen: Cranes on Gold

Located in Hudson, NY

Early Kano School painting of pine trees overlooking two beautifully painted cranes and floral design in a natural setting by water’s edge. Mineral pig...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Japanese Paintings and Screens

Materials

Gold, Gold Leaf

Japanese Two-Panel Screen: Cranes on Gold

$40,250

H 66 in W 73 in D 0.75 in

Rare Triptych Scroll Paintings by Watanabe Seitei Meiji Period

Located in Atlanta, GA

A set of three paintings of ink and watercolor on silk mounted within brocade borders as scrolls by Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918). This is a very rare an...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Japanese Japonisme Paintings and Screens

Materials

Brocade, Silk, Wood

Rare Triptych Scroll Paintings by Watanabe Seitei Meiji Period

$12,000

H 4.75 in W 26.75 in D 9 in

Japanese Two Panel Screen Amorous Cranes and Turtles

Located in Hudson, NY

Japanese two panel screen: Amorous Cranes and Turtles. In Japan, cranes symbolize fidelity as they mate for life and turtles symbolize longevity. Additionally, this screen also has the Japanese motif of sho-chiku-bai, or the three friends of winter (pine, plum, and bamboo). So called the three friends of winter because all three flourish during the cold months. This screen was originally fusuma doors...

Category