Lot 325: Kubota Beisen (1852-1906), Mori Yuzan (d.1917), Suzuki Shosen (b.1872) and Tanaka Ikka (1864-1924) Late 19th/early 20th century

Late 19th/early 20th century
A collaborative work between Beisen, Yuzan, Shosen and Ikka, a pair of four-fold screens, in ink on gold-leaf paper, the right-hand screen depicting three sparrows flying over kumazasa, signed Beisen with seal, and Yuzan suzume wo utsusu (sparrows painted by Yuzan) with seal Yuzan; the left-hand screen with a sparrow flying towards another mate perched at the foot of tall stalks of bamboo, signed on the lower right Shosen hijaku wo utsusu (flying sparrow painted by Shosen) with seal, beside a perched sparrow Ikka with seal, and on the lower left signed Beisen hitsu with seal. Each screen 135.3cm x 173cm (53¼in x 68 1/8in). (2).

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All of these artists, Beisen, Yuzan, Shosen and Ikka, are of the school of Suzuki Hyakunen (1825-1891) or Mori Kansai (1814-1894) who were the distinctive artists of Kansai painting circle at that time. Born in Kyoto, Beisen studied under Suzuki Hyakunen. He was also active as an illustrator with the army and actually accompanied the troops during the war with China in 1894-1895. Yuzan was a disciple of Mori Kansan and was later adopted. Shosen was a grandson of Suzuki Hyakunen and studied under his father, Suzuki Shonen (1848-1918). Born in Kyoto, Ikka studied under Beisen.

As demonstrated in these screens, the strength and resilience of the bamboo stalks painted by Beisen embodies his energetic and powerful style whilst the sparrows by the other artists show the more restrained style of the Shijo School, the juxtaposition of which adds a balance to the classical scene. The sizes of the images by the various artists also reflect their respective seniority and blends their different characters well.

Another interesting collaborative scroll, Myriad Fish, by twelve different artists, which includes Kubota Beisen, Imao Keinen (1845-1924), Suzuki Shonen and Suzuki Hyakunen, is in the collection of the British Museum.