Six-Panel 'Literati' Ink on Gold Screen by Tanomura Chokunyu (1814-1907), Circa 1872

This exceptional six-panel screen features a classical Chinese landscape painted in the literati (nanga) style by the renowned Tanomura Chokunyu (1814-1907), a leading figure in the nanga movement during the Meiji period. Known for his mastery of ink landscapes, Chokunyu was greatly influenced by his adoptive father and master, Tanomura Chikuden, and became an esteemed poet, calligrapher, and landscape artist.

The screen is a perfect example of the nanga style, which emphasizes the harmony of nature, subtlety, and the scholar’s life. The scene unfolds with sweeping ink strokes that create a tranquil yet majestic representation of a Chinese landscape, where mountains, rivers, and trees are depicted with an ethereal quality against a gold leaf ground. This creates a stunning contrast that enhances the depth and mood of the painting, as well as the spiritual and intellectual themes central to nanga art.

Chokunyu was a central figure in the Meiji period's revival of classical Chinese painting traditions, securing a place in history as the first director of the Kyoto Municipal School of Fine Arts and Crafts and founding the Nihon Nanga Kyokai (Japanese Nanga Association). His works are highly regarded in major collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, the British Museum, and the Idemitsu Art Gallery Tokyo.

Materials:

• Sumi ink on gold leaf ground

Dimensions:

• Height: 176 cm
• Width: 376 cm

This screen has been fully remounted and is in excellent condition, making it a highly collectible piece for those who appreciate the elegance and refinement of Meiji-period Japanese art and the nanga painting tradition.

P.O.A. (Price on Application)