Paintings (2) - Washi - Bird - Hirafuku Hyakusui 平福百穂 (1877-1933) - Pigeon and waterbird - Japan - ca 1920s (Taisho/Showa)

Paintings (2) - Washi - Bird - Hirafuku Hyakusui 平福百穂 (1877-1933) - Pigeon and waterbird - Japan - ca 1920s (Taisho/Showa) 2 ink and color on washi, handpainted sheets, size 28x49 cm, with seal, no title, some ink stains, no tears or worm holes The son of Hirafuku Suian (1844-90) , a painter in the 'Nanga' (old Chinese) style, Hyakusui studied painting with the Shijo-school artist Kawabata Gyokusho (1842-1913) from 1894 and at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts from 1897 to 1899, where he became a painter in the new 'Nihonga' style. In 1900 he formed with other artists the Musei-kai, a society devoted to greater naturalism in 'Nihonga'. Again in 1916 he joined with Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1972) in forming a similar society called Kinrei-sha. He was a designer of prints for 'Hosun'. Having also studied Western-style sketching at the Taiheiyo-Gakai (Pacific Painting Association) in Tokyo, he was able to make his living as a cartoonist and illustrator for newspapers and books, a calling he shared with his contemporary Kiyokata. From 1914 he became increasingly celebrated as a painter in a wide range of formats and styles within the 'Nihonga' movement. His work in sheet-prints is relatively limited apart from his contribution to 'Nihon fukei hanga' (1987, 0316, 0494) , but his early illustrated book 'Fuji isshu' ('A Tour of Fuji') of 1907 is now much admired. He was also a notable poet in the 'waka' form. more info here: shoga. info/? p=4829