Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
A horizontal framed painting depicting Mount Fuji across a lake with autumn foliage and a small thatched cottage. The artwork features traditional Kanji inscriptions alongside Western-style linear shading and a Romanized signature 'Kookan' (A. Kookan / Shiba Kōkan). The inscription includes a Kansei 9 date (寛政丁巳 - 1797), reflecting early Rangaku (Dutch Learning) influence on Japanese art.
Story
During Japan's sakoku period of national isolation, artist Shiba Kōkan smuggled Western perspective into Edo painting. He signed his work in Western script alongside Kanji, blending Dutch oil techniques with traditional Japanese ink and wash.
Maker / Origin
Shiba Kōkan (1747–1818) was a pioneering painter and scholar of Rangaku (Dutch Learning) during the late Edo period. Initially trained in ukiyo-e under Suzuki Harunobu, Kōkan became obsessed with European science, oil painting, and copperplate etching. He created the first Japanese copperplate print in 1783 and spent his career bridging Eastern aesthetics with Western realism.
Condition & Value
The paper substrate shows visible creasing, vertical fold lines, and toning across the sky. The modern framing appears non-original, but the painting surface remains legible with intact inscription details. Discoloration and minor surface abrasions reflect its age.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.