Description

An antique Japanese six-panel folding screen (byōbu) depicting an elegant avian scene set within a softly glowing paper ground. The composition unfolds gently across the panels, beginning with a quiet expanse that transitions into a lively grouping of small birds in flight, their delicate forms rendered with light, expressive brushwork. Toward the right, the scene resolves with a striking perched bird—an ornamental long-tailed pheasant—resting among finely painted branches and foliage, creating a natural focal point of calm authority.

The pheasant, rendered with a dramatically elongated tail and subtle red facial markings, reflects the aesthetic of the celebrated Japanese onagadori, a breed prized for its extraordinary plumage. In Japanese art, such birds are admired not only for their beauty but also for their associations with refinement, nobility, and the changing seasons. The artist captures this presence with remarkable sensitivity, balancing natural observation with an idealized elegance.

The composition itself is a study in harmony between movement and stillness. The smaller birds animate the space with a sense of seasonal vitality, while the poised pheasant introduces a moment of quiet contemplation. Subtle ink washes and restrained color create depth and atmosphere, allowing the gold ground to illuminate the scene and shift gently with the light.

Framed with traditional silk brocade borders and mounted in finished black lacquer wood frame. T byōbu would have functioned both as a decorative centerpiece and as an architectural element within an interior.

Age: Meiji period 1868 – 1912

Dimensions: 150″ x 42″