Hayakawa Shōkosai III
Orchid and Bamboo, 1920
Pair of hanging scrolls; ink on silk
Overall size 75 x 11¾ in. (190 x 30 cm) each
Image size 52¾ x 8 in. (134 x 20.5 cm) each
Image size 52¾ x 8 in. (134 x 20.5 cm) each
T-5196
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The right-hand scroll inscribed and signed: Shunpū chōyō Taishō kanoe-saru shunjitsu Sansei Shōkosai (The gentle spring breeze brings growth and nourishment; Shōkosai III, spring 1920); the left-hand scroll inscribed Nichinichi...
The right-hand scroll inscribed and signed: Shunpū chōyō Taishō kanoe-saru shunjitsu Sansei Shōkosai (The gentle spring breeze brings growth and nourishment; Shōkosai III, spring 1920); the left-hand scroll inscribed Nichinichi Heian Taishō kanoe-saru shunjitsu Sansei Shōkosai (Peace every day; Shōkosai III, spring 1920); each signature with two seals, the first Kiyoshi … , the second Shōkosai (the seal on the left-scroll applied horizontally).
Comes with a fitted wood tomobako storage box, inscribed outside Ranchiku no zu sōfuku (Pair of scrolls of orchid and bamboo) and signed inside Sansei Shōkosai (Shōkosai III); sealed Shōkosai; with an old handwritten label indicating that the paintings were once in a public exhibition, no. 45.
The fifth son of the pioneering bamboo artist Hayakawa Shōkosai I, Shōkosai III spent a period in Tokyo working under the name Shōsai before returning to Osaka in 1905 to assume leadership of the family workshop following the untimely death of his elder brother. During his years in Tokyo, he cultivated a wide range of artistic pursuits beyond basketry, many of which remained lifelong interests. These included playing the bamboo flute, practicing calligraphy, and painting, particularly depictions of plants associated with the Chan (Zen) tradition of Chinese literati art.
The pairing of bamboo and orchid seen here is rich in philosophical and cultural resonance. Both belong to the celebrated Shikunshi ("Four Gentlemen"), together with chrysanthemum and prunus forming a group of motifs that became central subjects in Chinese scholar painting from the Song and Yuan periods onward. Their imagery was later embraced in Japan by Zen monks, bunjin (Chinese-inspired literati), and artists associated with tea culture.
Each plant embodies a distinct constellation of virtues. The orchid represents purity, modesty, and refinement. Growing in secluded valleys and releasing its fragrance far from public view, it serves as a metaphor for the cultivated individual whose worth is independent of recognition. Bamboo, by contrast, symbolizes integrity, resilience, and moral uprightness. Hollow at its core yet steadfast in its growth, it bends before adversity without breaking, embodying humility, flexibility, and inner strength. Together, orchid and bamboo express an ideal of cultivated character that harmonizes grace with principled resolve.
A screen by Hayakawa Shōkosai III depicting a basket containing sacred fungus and orchids is in the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Mass.
Comes with a fitted wood tomobako storage box, inscribed outside Ranchiku no zu sōfuku (Pair of scrolls of orchid and bamboo) and signed inside Sansei Shōkosai (Shōkosai III); sealed Shōkosai; with an old handwritten label indicating that the paintings were once in a public exhibition, no. 45.
The fifth son of the pioneering bamboo artist Hayakawa Shōkosai I, Shōkosai III spent a period in Tokyo working under the name Shōsai before returning to Osaka in 1905 to assume leadership of the family workshop following the untimely death of his elder brother. During his years in Tokyo, he cultivated a wide range of artistic pursuits beyond basketry, many of which remained lifelong interests. These included playing the bamboo flute, practicing calligraphy, and painting, particularly depictions of plants associated with the Chan (Zen) tradition of Chinese literati art.
The pairing of bamboo and orchid seen here is rich in philosophical and cultural resonance. Both belong to the celebrated Shikunshi ("Four Gentlemen"), together with chrysanthemum and prunus forming a group of motifs that became central subjects in Chinese scholar painting from the Song and Yuan periods onward. Their imagery was later embraced in Japan by Zen monks, bunjin (Chinese-inspired literati), and artists associated with tea culture.
Each plant embodies a distinct constellation of virtues. The orchid represents purity, modesty, and refinement. Growing in secluded valleys and releasing its fragrance far from public view, it serves as a metaphor for the cultivated individual whose worth is independent of recognition. Bamboo, by contrast, symbolizes integrity, resilience, and moral uprightness. Hollow at its core yet steadfast in its growth, it bends before adversity without breaking, embodying humility, flexibility, and inner strength. Together, orchid and bamboo express an ideal of cultivated character that harmonizes grace with principled resolve.
A screen by Hayakawa Shōkosai III depicting a basket containing sacred fungus and orchids is in the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Mass.
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