Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
A beautiful Japanese kakejiku (hanging scroll) depicting a bijin (beautiful woman) holding a puppet, painted in ink and color on silk. The piece features the signature and seal of Tsukioka Settei, a celebrated Osaka painter known for his sensual and highly detailed depictions of women. It comes housed in a custom wooden tomobako (storage box) with an old collector's handwritten documentation note.
Story
During the Edo period, Osaka's thriving merchant class fueled a demand for vibrant, secular art. This scroll captures a fashionable woman holding a puppet, a direct nod to the wildly popular Bunraku puppet theater of the era. It bridges the worlds of high-society fashion and theatrical entertainment.
Maker / Origin
Tsukioka Settei (1710–1786), born Shinto Masa-nobu, was a highly influential painter and printmaker who worked in Osaka. He was awarded the prestigious artistic title of 'Hoko' (and later 'Hogan'), which is proudly written alongside his signature on this scroll.
Condition & Value
The scroll shows typical signs of age, including light creasing, minor toning, and faint foxing consistent with a 250-year-old textile. The mounting borders are intact, and the wooden tomobako has preserved the painting well. This gentle wear is expected and does not significantly detract from its value.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
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.