Waves thrash about in a playful frenzy below the calm watchful eye of a full moon partly blanketed by dark clouds in this extraordinary painting signed Kagyo dating from the later 19th century. It is bordered in ivory colored brocade embellished with clouds extended in golden brown silk and features ivory rollers. The scroll is 21-1/2 by 79 inches 855 x 200 cm) and, aside from minor bands of yellowing of the silk expected of age, is in fine condition...

A skeleton sits in meditation, dried autumn grasses rustling in the wind the only sound on this unusual Edo period scroll. Above is an epitaph reading: Impermanence takes life like wind strips the petals from a flower, Neither Gods nor Saints can evade, Evil within mars the spirit, Lofty stature or humble servitude, All fall prey, Yet all can be forgiven. To the right of the seated figure is a tablet covered in Sanskrit characters...

Japanese Buddhist scroll painting with the image of Amida raigo, the descent of Amida Buddha from the Western Paradise to earth. He comes down to transport the newly deceased devotee to the Western Paradise. In the middle Amida, to his right the bodhisattva Seishi, hands folded in prayer, to his left Kannon holding the lotus throne for transporting the deceased to Paradise. A ray of light comes from Amida’s urna. All three figures are standing on lotus thrones, floating on white clouds...

An haunting 17th century sumi-e image of a goose at twilight by Kano Toun (1624-1694) in the original Edo silver threaded brocade border patterned with clouds, upper and lower extensions of heavy coffee colored cloth ending in ivory rollers. The almost complete dominance of white seems to convey a passage through space, from clarity into obscurity, leaving the viewer with a slight sense of loss echoing in ones memory...

A scholar withers away an afternoon reading in a small cottage lost in a forest of Soft green willow; a brilliant Taisho style scroll by Hirai Baisen (1889-1969). The color of the willows intimates early summer, the leaves fresh and new, a darker haze beyond forms mountains, separating the scene from the rest of time. A quintessential effort typifying the literati ideal of life in seclusion. The entire scene has been brushed as if to insinuate a light shower, rain on a sunny day...

A prominent Japanese dealer is currently offering a Kawabata Gyokusho painting of similar size for $21,500. You can find this painting online. Kawabata Gyokusho is considered the last great representative of the Shijo school of Japanese painting. His work is quite delicate, making use of Japanese technique in a realistic manner. He had many pupils who later became well known...

Getzuzan inherited from his renowned father an effortlessness with the brush, shown here in the easy curves of the robe and face of the 12th Century Zen master, Taikobo, and the gentle washes that are used to compose the soft landscape that is the lovely place where he meditates and fishes. Gekko had several students who achieved fame, but he always favored his son. Getsuzan paintings that are available for sale are very rare. 45.5 x18 inches, 115.5 x 45.5 cm, unmounted

Sessho was a student of the legendary Tani Buncho. His paintings were collected and much appreciated by Emperor Meiji. He painted this gorgeous flower painting in a deliberately straightforward manner in order to take focus away from his superior technique and have you consider only the beauty of the subject. Silk Canvas and Mount. Mount: 72 x 25 inches, 182.5 x 63 cm. Painting: 44 x 20 inches, 112 x 50.5 cm. cf. C.H...

Jingu, guardian Empress of Japan, stands ready to defend her princely child Ojin held by General Takenouchi Sukune within a painted border of martial articles. Swords, armor, bows and quivers full of arrows, a horse-bit and court cap, tea bowl and other implements precious to the samurai tradition all hand-painted about the central image, laid scroll-like over top but actually all part of the same canvas...

A humorous looking dragon twists up the paper canvas, eyes on the prize, a tama or Buddhist jewel underlying a dramatically written inscription. What is extraordinary is that the dragons scaled body is performed with a single stroke of the brush! Over this has been added a shadow for the back, and embellishment of the head. It is signed Fujiki Shuchokusai, and comes enclosed in the original signed and age darkened wooden box...

A late Edo period (19th century) image known as the Nehanzu, death of the Buddha. It is absolutely fantastic, one of the best painted I have ever seen. Mourners of all species surround the death bed of Buddha...

A fox sits wrapped up like the Daruma, a humorous image by long time head priest of Kenninji Temple Takeda Mokurai (1854-1930) in light ink on paper. The scroll has been fully remounted in dark forest border extended with beige and features black lacquered wooden rollers. It is 18 by 47-1/2 inches (45.5 x 120.5 cm) and in excellent condition. Mokurai began his training as a priest at the age of 7. Developing under a number of masters, he finally settled under Yuzen. During his younger years ...

Japanese antique scroll painting of a group of three monkeys in persimmon tree, painted in colors on silk, school of Mori Sosen, Meiji Period (1868-1912). total size: 58" high x 38" wide

A daunting image by radical Nihon Nanga-In member and founder of the Osaka Art College Yano Kyoson (1890-1965) dating from earlier in this influential artists career. Crisp white walls of a strangely elongated house perch on the edge of a dark forest reaching up to the rain washed sky. A single tree ripe with yellow leaves guards the entrance. The light color on silk image is bordered in lavender silk matching the leaden sky, extended with green cloth and features shimmering silvered-yellow c...

A pair of hanging scrolls. One depicting a beautiful young woman in a black kimono decorated with open fans; the other depicting a blue demon sitting in a gauze priest’s garment in front of a bronze bell on a stand, holding a hammer in one hand, a rosary in the other. Black ink, colors, gold on silk. Seals in the lower left and right corners: Kason. Seal of Suzuki Kason (1860-1919). Japan, Meiji period. Ivory scroll ends.
Comes with the original wooden box.
Painted areas: ca. 52.9 x ...

Antique Japanese pair of scroll paintings, one with tiger in pine tree the other with dragon in clouds, painted in sumi ink on silk, late Edo Period Period, signed San'an Yamanobe Eisho with two seals. Size of each scroll: 74 1/2" high x 22 1/2" wide Size of each artwork: 38 1/2" high x 16 1/2" wide.

Japanese scroll painting with a figure of Manjusri in the center of a circular chart below which sits a fu-dog; the very bottom of the scroll has numerous signatures and seal marks. The waves along the border of the circle indicate that this is a Sea-Crossing Manjusri (Tokai Monju). The text within the circle indicates that the painting comes from the Matsumoto castle in the Shinano province (the Nagano prefecture in central Japan). The document that comes with the scroll is signed Bankyu (can...

Beautiful large Japanese antique scroll painting depicting a scene of Mt. Fuji with clouds and rural village below, leaves of the trees in the foreground are painted in Autumn colors, painted in sumi ink and light colors on paper, silk mounting. Regarding translation of calligraphy on scroll, the language formally states that this painting is respectfully given to a person (Sei in) from another person (Koō yoū ro). It is implied that Koō yoū ro is the artist although it i...