Paper, polychrome painting on gold ground
Japan, approx. 17th cent.
Ma? 49,5 X 18 CM
Scenes from the emperor′s palace (Genji monogatari?), painted by an unknown painter of the Tosa School, approx. 17th century.
The Tosa School (土佐派 Tosa-ha), founded in the Muromachi Period of the 15th century, and its painting was devoted to the aristocracy and its lifestyle, using the techniques and themes of the old Yamato-e-painting. Characteristic is the simple artistic manner demonstrating opaque color areas bordered by fine lines, detailed and precise drawing, rich, brillant color composition favoritizing gold ground. Metallic pigments bestow a precious luster to the mostly small-format drawings on paper and silk. The gracious warmth of the pictures hit the nerve of the royal court members and aristocratic clients, who were sponsors of Tosa painters. Picture bases for the dominantly classical literary scenes, especially paintings inspired by Genji monogatari, were fans, scrolls (kakejiku) and story-telling depictive scrolls (e-maki), also doors and walls of palace buildings of the high nobility or abbots residences in wealthy monasteries and temples. As of the 18th century, kacho-e (flower and bird pictures) and other Chinese painting motifs were borrowed by the Tosa masters.
From an old New York collection (German war refugees), which was offered February 1995 by Gallery Zacke in a special exhibition.