Antique Japanese Ink Hanging Scroll with Wood Storage Box by Hidaka Tetsuo

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A hanging ink (Sumi-e) silk scroll by Japanese Zen artist Hidaka Tetsuo (1791-1871). Well presented in brocade boarders and mounted … Read more A hanging ink (Sumi-e) silk scroll by Japanese Zen artist Hidaka Tetsuo (1791-1871). Well presented in brocade boarders and mounted on paperback, this scroll depicts "Three Noble Friends in Winter" in a poetic and novel way. One of the favorite subjects by Chinese painters, the three noble friends in winter consists of pine, bamboo and plum flowers. They were admired for their characters of strength in cold resistance to remain evergreen and even blossom in unfavorable condition. The artist, however, composited the subjects in a none-conventional way as Ikebana. Bamboo and flowering plum branches were presented in an oversized pot. The pine, curiously, seems to be absent at first, but a closer look sees a branched plant at the foot of the pot that resembles a small pine, but also with a morphed appearance of "Lingzhi" mushroom, the symbol of longevity. It appears to be the artist's intention to expose the symbolism by transcending the reality of imagery.
The scroll was signed with title and name in cursive Kanji and marked with two artist's red seals. Image is 49" x 18". The full length of the scroll measure 80" x 26". A later customed collector box retains the collector's label in both Kanji and English as shown.
Tetsuo was a monk of Zen-sect who painted in Chinese ink style. He was born in Nagasaki and studied painting under Yushi Ishizaki and Kaho Koh. He was known as one of the three great painters in Nagasaki prefecture (the other two are Gomon Miura and Itsuun Kinoshita). Similar ink painting on fans by the artist are held in the collection of Seattle Art Museum (92.47.323.15) and British Museum (1973.0226.0.91 and 1973.0226.0.89). See less