Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
A pair of Japanese hanging scrolls (sōfuku) executed in ink and light color on silk, depicting rural farming life with Mount Fuji looming in the background. The work features bone scroll ends (kuroku/jiku-saki), a signed wooden authentication box (tomobako/kiwamebako), and delicate depictions of agricultural customs.
Story
Born in Edo in 1807, Shibata Zeshin bridging traditional Japanese lacquer art and fine painting became a legend during the transition from the samurai era to the Meiji modernization. This diptych captures the quiet rhythm of agrarian life.
Maker / Origin
Shibata Zeshin was a master painter and lacquer artist renowned for his wit, realism, and mastery of both Shijō-school naturalism and traditional lacquer techniques. His work gained international acclaim at world's fairs in Vienna and Paris during the late 19th century.
Condition & Value
Minor age-related foxing, creasing, and toning consistent with 19th-century Japanese silk scrolls. Overall well-preserved inside its dedicated wooden box. Valuations for hanging scrolls attributed to Zeshin vary greatly depending on formal authentication (kiwame) by recognized experts.
Full Research
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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.