Sumi on paper. This impressive Zen painting by Gentō Sokuchū features the Chinese character michi (path) in masterfully rendered calligraphic strokes. As the 11th abbot of Entsū-ji and later the 50th abbot of Eihei-ji, Sokuchū made it his life’s work to bring the Sōtō sect of Buddhism back in line with the teachings of its founder Dōgen Zenji. [Sold]

In the world of Japanese ceramics, Tamamizu-ware has an almost mythical standing. A branch of the main Raku line, at one time the two kilns held equal prominence, both being endorsed by the major tea schools of Kyoto and both being favored by the Imperial household. The first in the line was an illegitimate son of Kichizaemon Ichinyu (Yahē) who studied under his father and then left to open his own kiln in the village of Tamamizu (known today as Ide-cho). Though he is the first potter of the Tamamizu branch, he is usually referred to as Tamamizu VI (denoting his descendance from the Raku line). After establishing the kiln, Yahē took the artist’s name “Ichigen” and proceeded to fashion extremely high-quality tea bowls and other implements in the style of the earliest Raku potters.

Based on a classical tale adapted into a popular Kabuki performance in late Edo, the story of the Fuji Musume or “Wisteria Maiden” is an often employed motif in Japanese art. In the story, the Wisteria Maiden is depicted in a painting holding a wisteria branch, until one day she becomes smitten with a young man passing by and steps out of the painting in an effort to capture his attention.

Lithography with hand coloring on paper. This piece titled ‘Eager’ is by renowned Abstract Expressionist, Toko Shinoda (b. 1913). One of the most important Japanese artist of her time, Shinoda’s works are featured in collections worldwide including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, and the British Museum to name a few. [Sold]