Pair of mid-size screens Nanga style

Pair of impressive mid-sized byôbu 屏風 (folding screens) with Nanga style paintings depicting scenes taken from the Chinese poems “Former Ode on the Red Cliffs” 前赤壁赋 and “Latter Ode on the Red Cliffs” 後赤壁赋.
Pieces of writing in the fu form, written by the Chinese poet Su Shi 苏轼 in 1082. Both describing in their own way a trip, three months apart, that Su Shi took with his friends on the Yangtze River, which took them past the purported site of the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Both screens are thus titled respectively “Before the Red Cliffs” 前赤壁 and “After the Red Cliffs” 後赤壁.

They each show a sansui landscape 山水 (water and mountain) illuminated by a full moon. Imposing overgrown cliffs reach high above the sea. In the open waters floats a boat in which the author Su Shi sits with his scholarly friends. The “Latter Ode”-screen is painted with a single crane flying by the small boat. They are both inscribed with the complete poems telling the tale depicted.

“Former Ode on the Red Cliffs” 前赤壁赋:
“The Ode depicted Su and his friends travelling on a small boat to visit the Red Cliffs just outside Huangzhou in an autumn night in 1082. He recalled the Battle of Red Cliff (Battle of Chibi 赤壁之戰) in 208 AD. It was a fierce battle between the allied forces of the Southern warlord Liu Bei (劉備) and Sun Quan (孫權) and the numerically superior forces of the Northern warlord Cao Cao (曹操). Liu Bei and Sun Quan defeated Cao Cao’s army to conquer the land south of the Yangtze River. The event that happened over 800 years ago made Su thought about the rise and fall of great historical figures, the brevity of life and the hypocritical nature of people. He wrote about his philosophical views on the certainty of change in life.”

“Latter Ode on the Red Cliffs” 後赤壁赋:
“The first ode was written in the seventh lunar month of ren shu (1082) and the second in the tenth month. The Second Ode narrates Su Shi (蘇軾)‘s moonlight excursion to the Red Cliff with two friends on a winter night, similar to one they had made three months ago. Su and his friends enjoyed a picnic at the base of the cliff, after which Su climbed to the top alone. He was saddened by the strange and wild windy sound and descended. The three friends floated with the current in a small boat and saw a single crane fly by. In Su’s dream after returning home, a Taoist priest appeared as the transformation of the crane. After he woke up, Su attempted to search for the Taoist priest but in vain.”

Sealed in the lower corners by the artist Oka Buntô 岡文濤 (1876-1943). His given name was Tōzo, born in Tango province, and moved to Kyoto to study at the Kyoto City School of Arts and the Kyoto City Specialist School of Painting. His most influential teacher was Yamamoto Shunkyo 山元春挙 (1871–1933), where he learned to work in the Shijô style. He was accepted for the first time for the 5th juried Bunten exhibitions 文 展 in 1911 with his work called “Sugigaki” 杉垣. Later as well during the 8th Bunten Exhibition in 1914 with “Umezame no Koro” 梅雨の頃 and the 9th in 1915 with “Surichipi” スリチピ. During these events he won various awards. Originally, he was known for his “flower & birds” paintings. Though, he sought a wide range of subjects for his paintings, and in his later years, he also adopted the Nanga-style, a style of literati painting.

Sumi 墨 (black ink) on paper ground with a few polychrome details. Mounted by a thin gold leaf border and protected by a red lacquered frame with its original hardware.

Including high quality red lacquered wooden tomobako 供箱 (storage box) which is signed, sealed and titled on the inside of the hinged cover.

Dimensions each screen:
Total width: 268 cm (2 x 46 cm and 4 x 44 cm); Height: 137 cm.
Period: Japan – Taishô period/Early Shôwa period (Second quarter 20th century).

Both in a very good original condition. The 4th panel of one of the screens with a faint water imperfection. Please look at the photos for a clear condition reference.

When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity.
Price including insured shipping.