Imai Shoun | Painted mounting
«Green pines spread covered with winter. Icy clouds freeze the air. The pillars rise. They stand wise and admit the worries to come. As they grow, cranes live on the branches. And the young dragon on the branch has not yet become a dragon. The harp’s sound cleanses the mind. The ears are charmed and dust is washed away.» - «Old Man of 77 years – Kyoan».
The impressive mounting was painted by Imai Shoun (1880-1916), an an artist from Nagoya. Born in 1880, specific details about his early life are not available. However, his artistic journey began to gain recognition during the Taisho era (1912-1926). Shoun's life was tragically cut short when he passed away in 1916 at the age of 36.
The pine tree on the mounting frames the Chinese poem composed by Chou Nanshi, a Tang dynasty literatus. The poem was brushed by Kakyo Nobuo, who was seventy-seven when he did this piece of calligraphy, seventy-seven being a auspicious age...
Imai Shoun (1880-1916) and
Kakyo Nobuo
Ink on paper
134.6 x 31.8 cm (53 x 12 ½ in.)
Mounting 195 x 48.5 cm (76 ¾ x 19 in.)
Some foxing but good over all condition
Wooden box dated Spring 1941
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