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Japanese arts of animals
Kano Tatsunobu / Falling cherry blossoms
This is a shikishi-sized piece depicting cherry blossoms falling. The fragile and neat appearance is wonderful.
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Furusawa Setsuden / Summer flowers, grass and insects
Many small insects are vividly depicted among the colorful plants. Furusawa Setsuden was a student of Taki Katei, and like his teacher, he specialized in painting flowers-and-birds.
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Ishiko Yurin / 2 hanging scrolls of fruits and mice
The painting shows adorable and humorous depictions of food-hungry mice. Ishiko Yurin was active in the Nagoya art world.
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Late Edo and Meiji periods / Shunga of fox spirits
This erotic painting from the late Edo period and the Meiji era is a humorous depiction of a man who, while half asleep, is completely deceived by some fox spirits.
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Sakakibara Shiho / Two sparrows
Two sparrows are enjoying a meal under gorgeously blooming plum trees. This work evokes the coming of spring.
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Yamaguchi Soken / Cormorant fishing
The smooth brushstrokes vividly and beautifully depict the scene of cormorant fishing. This work was painted by Yamaguchi Soken, one of the Ten Excellent Painters of the Okyo School.
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Mori Sosen / Tiger in the snow
The tiger is drawn with ink, but it is full of realism and conveys a lively appearance. There is an inscription on the box by Japanese painter Kawamura Manshu.
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Yoshimura Kokei / 3 Hanging scrolls of Hawk, Spider and Bear
This set of three hanging scrolls was created by Yoshimura Kokei, one of the Ten Excellent Painters of the Okyo School. The unusual combination of a bear, a hawk, and a spider, as well as the dignified atmosphere of this work make it an appealing piece.
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Komai Genki / Two rabbits
This rabbit painting was done by Komai Genki, a disciple of Maruyama Okyo. It captures the characteristics of a rabbit in a simple way.
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Takaku Ryuko / Sobering-up time
This work is painted by Takaku Ryuko, who established his own unique style of painting by fusing Nanga and Yamato-e.
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Kishi Chikudou / Reeds with fireflies
This work depicts fireflies resting on reeds, evoking the atmosphere of a summer night. The plainly painted water surface also has a cool feel to it.
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late Edo Period / Secrets of annual events
The palm-sized Ehon of Shunga (erotic arts) that correspond to annual Japanese events such as Hinamatsuri, moon viewing, and mochi pounding.
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Mori Sosen / Monkey parent and child
What on earth are they doing? It looks like the mother monkey is on guard, while the baby monkey is looking at her curiously.
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Kikuchi Hobun / Chestnuts and a bird in the rain
A small bird may be searching for a place to shelter from the heavy rain in a sudden shower. This is a work that is so realistic that you can even hear the sound of the rain.
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Takahashi Kyoson / Landscapes of sansha (Three Shrines)
The painting depicts a deer, which is said to be a messenger of the gods, and a sacred mirror hanging from a tree, signifying that the place is shrouded in holiness and pure air.
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Nojima Seiji / A butterfly and a carp
A rare combination of a butterfly and a carp. The distinction between underwater and aerial scenes creates an interesting contrast.
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Kano Kagenori / Three hanging scrolls of Takasago
This auspicious set of scrolls depicts cranes, turtles, a pine tree, and more, based on the theme of "Takasago," a familiar Noh play.
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Takahashi Souzan, Maekawa Bunrei, Maekawa Koryo and other / Chinese zodiac
Each brush stroke has its own unique flavor, making this Chinese zodiac painting enjoyable to look at.
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Kikuchi Yosai / A plum tree and a small bird
A single sparrow rests cutely on a plum branch which was painted with clarity with ink brushstrokes. This is a flower-and-bird painting by Yosai who excelled in historical paintings.
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Attributed to Nagasawa Rosetsu, inscription by Minagawa Kien / Autumn cicada
The sound of cicadas chirping in autumn makes us feel the change of seasons.
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Yoshimura Houryu / Tiger
Yoshimura Houryu, a disciple of Mori Jiho and a student of the Mori school of painting, excelled in animal paintings and played an active role as a leading figure in the Maruyama school. His smooth brushwork, which even captures the texture of fur, is impressive.
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Yamaguchi Soken / Rabbits
Perhaps he used the rabbit paintings of his teacher Okyo as a reference. The slightly humorous expressions on the rabbits' faces are a nice touch. It's a fun rabbit painting to look at.
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Kino Hironari / Wagtail
A single wagtail stands at the base of an old pine tree. It is said that wagtails sing around the time of "Hakuro" in the 24 solar terms, heralding the arrival of autumn. In this work, you can almost hear the wagtail's chirp in the silence.
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Kumagai Naohiko / An old pine tree in the morning glow , wide hanging scroll
This painting is impressive for its scorching morning glow and the powerful old pine tree. The unique appearance of the pine tree, which is likely a depiction of the real thing, conveys the artist's intense interest.
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