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Subject:Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: Bill H Sun, Sep 17, 2017 IP: 2601:342:80:4e1c:293

I'm trying again to hone my Japanese art signature and seal ID'ing skills (if its possible to hone undeveloped skills). This involves three paintings owned by a friend, all about 14 by 17 inches and sharing a common winter theme with overtones of what I take to be the sumi-e style depicting snowy hills, rocks, streams, structures and trees through a wintry mist. Two look to be by the same rather good artist, while the other painting doesn't seem to exhibit the same skill with the brush. I'm unsure if the paintings are artist-signed or have titles and artist seals. In any event, the two better ones have what looks a bit like 春光, which can be a personal surname, given name or the title (spring scenery, appropriate if it's early spring). The red seals on both of these appear to be 國, meaning "country" or "kingdom",which also can be a surname. The painting I like less has two bold characters reading what looks like 丘光, which if correct, also could be a given name and surname, or a title like "Hills Aglow".

Of course there are loads of other possibilities for some of these characters, but since I can't pronounce them properly anyway, I'll take all the help I can get. I'll upload other complete pictures as soon as this post gets up and running. The present photos have been lightened, and I've enhanced insets of the seals for all comers who may be able to confirm them. However, the last one shown looks like a long shot.

Much obliged,

Bill H.







Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: I. Nagy Mon, Sep 18, 2017

I think the two two-character inscriptions are
simply titles and not signatures by all means.

1、丘光 Oka - Hikari / Hills and Light
2, 雲光 Kumo - Hikari / Clouds and Light

The character of 春(Haru) in calligraphy is allways written looped. In this case (雲 Kumo)
the lower 云 part is written clearly with very
strong straight strokes.

As of the seals,at the first sight I do not have any idea.I have to search for similar
seal carving in seal dictionaries - takes time.
If I find something I will let you know.
With regards,
I.Nagy

Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: Bill H Tue, Sep 19, 2017

I. Nagy, many thanks for your assistance. Scholarship such as yours is rare and a huge benefit to all who visit this forum.

Much obliged,

Bill H.

Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: rat Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Bill H,
The seal impression looks to me like 長 rather than 國. Agree with I. Nagy on the inscriptions.

Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: peterp_ Thu, Sep 21, 2017

Hi, I wonder why you assume it is Japanese? This very motif of a man crossing a bridge appears in Chinese paintings too. And, square seals are more often Chinese than Japanese.
Any specific reason that it should be Japanese?

Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: rat Fri, Sep 22, 2017

One distinctive reason why is that the handwriting of the signatures is unquestionably Japanese. Also the Japanese painted quite a few of these rural scenes during the mid 20th century, often with thatched farmhouses and almost all signed with two character art names; to me the colors and brushwork seems of these pictures seem quite related to that group. Finally I think that the basket carried on the figure's back is more common in Japanese than among Chinese pictures, though I can't think of any examples off the top of my head.

Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: Bill H Sat, Sep 23, 2017

The structures look to be framed more like some I associate with Japan.

Thanks,

Bill H.







Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: Bill H Sat, Sep 23, 2017

Rat, it isn't that I don't see eye to eye with you, just that I'm always gratefully amazed at how you always see so much more about these canvases than I believe will ever meet my eyes. :)

Much obliged,

Bill H.

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Subject:Re: Japanese Winter Landscapes...I Think
Posted By: rat Sun, Sep 24, 2017

Thanks Bill H, for the lovely compliment. In turn I marvel at your knowledge of ceramics, something I will never master!


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