Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
A pair of fine Japanese ink and light color hanging scrolls (kakejiku) depicting figure subjects in the Chinese literati style. The inscriptions and artist's seals reference Hyakusen (Sakaki Hyakusen, 1697–1752), who also used the artist name Hassen Itsujin (八僊逸人). Rendered on silk with traditional Edo-period brocade mounting, the scenes portray rustic figures engaged in daily, poetic riverfront life.
Story
Sakaki Hyakusen was a pioneer of the Nanga (Japanese literati) school, bridging Chinese Southern School ink techniques with Japanese sensibilities. His work directly inspired Edo legends like Yosa Buson. Works bearing his seal represent crucial milestones in 18th-century Japanese art history.
Maker / Origin
Sakaki Hyakusen (1697–1752), born in Nagoya to a family of Chinese descent, was a master painter and haiku poet. He studied traditional Kano and Chinese Ming-Qing painting styles before becoming one of the founding fathers of Japan's Nanga movement. His pen name 'Pengcheng Baichuan' (彭城百川) honors his ancestral Chinese heritage.
Condition & Value
The painted silk panels show light overall toning and minor foxing consistent with 18th to 19th-century age. The fabric mounts appear to be a high-quality modern remounting, which stabilizes and protects the artwork. Mild creasing is visible on the silk surface but does not obscure the brushwork.
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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.