Satake Eikai (1803 - 1874), Spring and Autumn, Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century. Photo courtesy Helena Markus Antique Japanese Screens.

Pair of six-fold screens. Signed and sealed “Eikai”. Ink and colour on buff paper with gold sand (kin-sunago). H 46 x W 125 cm

Satake Eikai was born in Aizu but later moved to Edo to commence his studies under Tani Bunchō. Later, for a certain period, he also studied under Sakai Hōitsu .
After completing his apprenticeship he was called by the feudal lords of Hikone to serve as an official painter to the Ii family receiving the rank of hōkkyō (Bridge of the Buddhist Law, an honorary title which was given to particularly talented artists in the Edo period. The title was officially introduced in 1701 even though it had already been in use much earlier).

Eikai was certainly an accomplished and extremely eclectic painter, as demonstrated by the collection of his paintings in the British Museum. Observing the body of his work one feels they could be a creation of more than one artist. Some of his paintings followed the free Nanga style of Tani Bunchō, others were more in the Rinpa style of Sakai Hōitsu and in some he creates a style totally of his own.

He mostly painted kakemono and fan paintings, the screen format was rarely used in his work.

Our pair of screens belongs to the group of paintings in Rinpa style even though the overall impression is that of a work of an independent artist.

The subject is the classical theme of the seasons of the year. The right hand side screen representing Spring depicts two types of cherry trees in full blossom. On the left of the screen there are two smaller trees of the simple sakura type while the tree in the centre of the painting, full of strikingly beautiful white blossoms, is that of yaezakura (double petal cherry blossom).

The screen representing Autumn underlines the passing of time in the contrast between the marvelously shaped red maple tree and the tree behind with the leaves already turned brown.

The startling seasonal gap between the screens underlined by the chromatic contrast is united by the common theme to both: the deep blue river which stands out against the bright red and the brilliant white of the two paintings.

With their white cherry blossoms gorgeously complementing the red and brown maple leaves, Eikai’s screens form an elegant and balanced composition.

Works by this artist can be found in the collection of Prof. William Anderson in the British Museum in London as well as in the collection of William Sturgis Bigelow in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Provenance: Japan.

Helena Markus Antique Japanese Screens. MasterArt at TEFAF 2014. 14-23 march 2014 - http://www.masterart.com/