Pair Antique Japanese Edo Falcon Hawk Birds of Prey Takagari Screens 1880

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A very fine pair of antique Edo period four paneled screens, hand-painted with tethered birds of prey, in the manner … Read more A very fine pair of antique Edo period four paneled screens, hand-painted with tethered birds of prey, in the manner of Soga Nichokuan, circa 1860.

Wonderful pair of four-panel byôbu 屏風 (folding screens) covered with four separate hanging scroll paintings 掛け軸 (kakejiku) depicting different taka 鷹 (hawks) perched & tethered different seasons. The painting is of the highest quality and portrays the bird's distinct features; sharp beaks, keen eyes, long curving talons. Falconry, hunting with hawks bred in the countryside was practiced in Japan from ancient times. As a sport it is thought to have come to Japan from China as early as the fourth century. During the Edo Period, it was patronized by the Shogunate, and an official Imperial master falconer was appointed.

This fine pair of antique screens are in the manner the master painter avian subjects of the Momoyama period (1573-1615), Soga Nichokuan, the artist died in the early 17th century, this fine pair of screens date to the late 19th century.
The paintings are mainly done in black ink with polychrome details on a paper ground, and protected by a black lacquer frame with its original hardware, each screen has a geometric brocade backing.
Condition is very good, this beautiful pair of antique hand-painted Japanese screens from the late Edo period are ready to grace your space.
Each panel is 18" wide, each screen fully extended is 72" in length.
These screens were featured in Architectural Digest in September 1975 See less