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Would love to get any information available on this watercolor(?) painting. I was told it is from the 1920s, but don't know if that is true. It came with the write-up I have included.

Dear Allen,

I am not expert in japanese painting, but this is not Tosa style. Owls are very difficult depicted in traditional japanese paintings. This paper indicating a "piece of Isemonogatari" may be doing reference to another work. The painting appears to be twentieth-century, executed in ink wash with watercolor.

Is it possible some contemporary artist was inspired by the same poetic world as the Ise Monogatari without depicting any specific story from it? Yes indeed. But I don't think so. Most likely the artist would sign the work.

Remember that fukurō can also be written as 不苦労 ("without hardship"), making owls a fortune symbol (there are 6 of them) . "six owls are auspicious," since the number six (六, roku) carries several positive associations in Japanese culture, and the fact that there are six owlets (or six young birds ) could certainly have been intentional. But authentic works by Tosa Mitsuoki (1617–1691) painted in mineral pigments and many times with gold. It is always extremely detailed in an Yamato-e style with signature and many times seal.

Sorry I couldn't go further.
thanks for posting,
Renato from Brazil

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