Title: Akifuyu no Hana no e (Autumn and Winter Flower Paintings), Circa 1840-1856. An Emakimono Handscroll of Forty-Five Beautiful Floral Paintings, Almost Eight Meters. Contemporary Copy of a Work by Tani Buncho’s Prominent Student
Author: After Kita Busei; Student of Kita Busei
Condition: Very Good
A Late Edo Period, mid 19th century emakimono handscroll, tentatively dubbed Akifuyu no Hana no e, or Autumn and Winter Flower Paintings. As the title would entail, the scroll contains a continuous suite of forty-five beautiful floral paintings, all brightly colored and flowing throughout the entirety of the scroll. The paintings appear to be copied after the Edo Period artist Kita Busei (1776-1856), according to the colophon, and likely by a student of Busei as well. The colophon also states that this work is a copy of a painting of plants and trees that Busei himself created, possibly for a painting class, or a finished work he has exhibited. As the last known Busei works are recorded to the Tenpo Period, this student’s copy was likely produced during the last decades of his life, if not potentially earlier in his teaching career.
A Southern School Nanga painter of the late Edo Period, Kita Busei began his artistic career upon entering Tani Buncho 's art school, Shazanro. In 1796, he traveled to the Kansai Region with Buncho to compile the "Shuko Jyushu" (Collection of Ancient Art), researching and copying treasures from ancient temples and shrines. He studied the Kano and Rinpa schools of art, and compiled their compositions into a booklet, entitled "Wuqing Shukuzu". He continued to draw from the Kyowa period until his death, and illustrated many Yomihon books, including portraits of beautiful women, surimono prints, and gakko (art books). It was rare for an artist who was not an ukiyo-e artist to illustrate a Yomihon book. His reputation as an artist grew from middle age onwards, and he had a steady stream of students. He
The emakimono has been written on thin washi paper and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a simple decorated cover, and there are jikusaki (knobs).
One emakimono (picture scroll) on washi paper, roughly 27 x 770 cm
This emakimono is in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the cover, with slight peeling and tearing. There is minor foxing and scattered staining throughout.