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Looking for any information on the signature on this old painting along with opinions on the paper, ect... The right side next to the signature shows the paper that the painting was remounted on at some point before I got it. I can add any pics if anyone wants.

a couple of additional close ups with one showing a gap and the backing paper

Its a draft painting on a paper patched together fom small sheets. It is only made to test the composition and never meant to be mounted.
larger sheets or silk are more expensive and only used for the real art work.
The writing is not clear to me. the first character means long the rest is really difficult to read, could be some kana. this seems to be a note not a signature.

Thanks Peter - That makes perfect sense for the smaller pieces of paper being put together - I had hit the same wall with help and only had figured out 長 as well - The idea of it being shorthand or Kana makes sense as a possible answer. The 8 pieces of paper I have together are 109cm by 68cm, so if this originally was a larger potion of the scene it could have been a pretty large painting. I appreciate your help and knowledge as always - Kindest Regards, Jeff

How did (do) you know it is Vimalakīrti?

I am not 100% sure, but it is the traditional way he is portrayed with the lightly held fan and looking to the left in many images. Sometimes he appears with his hand raised when in discussion with arhats and bodhisattvas. It also was a fairly common subject matter for a time period in paintings. It's a guess but I think a solid one...

the fly swatter, the sick appearance and some elaborate clothing make the attributes for Yuima.
added a unrestored version of Tanyuu. your painting is also a Kanou painters work.
peter

Thanks Peter - Is there anything in particular that makes you think it is Japanese rather than Chinese? I could see the writing that hasn't been deciphered being shorthand or a variation of 车师 , even though that is unlikely.

its a work that could clearly be attributed to the kanou school (not first rate). The professional execution especially the light ink shade is beyond what chinese amateur connaisseurs would appriciate.
the motif is a rare thing in china (the painting in kyoto exists because it was brought to japan early).
but the subject is more often done in japan.
(added an example of chokujou)

I was with help able to get the side translated to, 長谷川 Hasegawa - thoughts?

Not Peter but thelines/wrinkles on the hands and face, the use of light and dark to show garment lines, the character of the lines themselves, and the wash as Peter mentioned are common in Japanese ink painting and much less so in Chinese painting. Not sure those specifics are enough, as it’s one of those things where you can just tell that it’s Japanese at a glance, but I’m struggling a bit to explain exactly why.

Thanks Rat! That makes sense for certain. The stroke technique on the outline along with the shading are quite clear. I think the hardest time I have is when the Japanese painting is based off the Literati or Zen style. Due to the signature on the painting I am thinking this could be a draft by Hasegawa Tonaku (as unlikely as it sounds) It is now believed that once he was in his 30's he began to paint under the name Tonaku, but before then he painted mostly Buddhist images under the name Nobuharu HASEGAWA and was a rival of the Kano school. He was also known for signing religious images that were never previously signed. He was the founder of the much smaller Hasegawa School that mostly consisted of direct descendants for 200 years. The darker pictures with the flash show more accurately how the color of the paper looks in person. This will have to be looked at in person by experts to prove that, but it's my thought at the moment.

Thought you might dig these detail shots Rat - 2 of the eye and one of the connection of 4 pieces of the paper - Thanks for all you and everyone else does here.

In this case a fly swatter, sometimes a fan, - In the Li Gonglin attributed painting of Vimalakirti in the Kyoto museum it is almost the exact same pose.

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