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Aoki Mokubei (1767-1833) & Makita Chôsai (1738-1801)
Nanga
.Rôbei kôyô sansui - River and foliage
Signed: Rôbei & Chôsai shujin
Seals: Seirai, Mokubei
Technique: colours on paper 125,7 x 27,4
Date: In the second summer month of 1796
Mounting: bronze damask 200 x 42,3
Box: inscribed
Condition: very good

Poem from The Jade Fountain Stream by Lady Xiangyi, a Tang-dynasty poetess
紅葉醉秋色 / 碧溪彈夜弦 / 佳期不可再 / 風雨杳如年
The red leaf is drunk with autumn colours,
In the night the little green brook strums the strings.
Such a wonderful moment will not come again.
Rain and wind will seem to last the whole year.
(HK)

Although in 1796 Mokubei submitted paintings to one of the exhibitions of contemporary art organised twice-yearly by the scholar and artist Minagawa Kien (1734-1807), he was not an active painter until about 1820. It is therefore remarkable that he is now mostly known as a painter. In his own time, however, he was considered one of the great masters of pottery, on a par with Nonomura Ninsei (fl. mid-17th century) and Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743).

Reference:
Nihon no bijutsu kaiga kinshû Vol. 21
Beerens p. 50
Roberts p. 111

Makita Chôsai was born in Yamada and studied calligraphy from childhood, specialising in classic kanji script. He studied painting with Tanke Gessen (1721-1809) and moved in artistic circles. As a calligrapher, he favoured the old styles of the Tang and Song dynasty.

Price: ON REQUEST