Antique Japanese Sumi-e Shikishi — “Cormorant Fishing Under Lantern” | Signed & Sealed

A beautiful antique Japanese shikishi (24 x 27 cm) painted in elegant sumi-e ink style, depicting two cormorants swimming gracefully under a softly glowing fishing lantern. This serene scene reflects the ancient tradition of ukai — nighttime cormorant fishing, where fishermen use lantern light to attract fish and trained birds to catch them with great skill and harmony.

This unique fishing method has been practiced in Japan for over 1,300 years, especially along the Nagara River in Gifu and rivers near Kyoto. It is often celebrated in art and poetry as a timeless symbol of human coexistence with nature, moonlit waters, and the fleeting beauty of summer nights.

The work is signed 芳 (Yoshi) and stamped with the red seal 風雅堂印 (Fūgadō-in — “Seal of the Elegant Pavilion”), suggesting an atelier piece from the late Meiji or Taisho era, in the refined style of the Maruyama-Shijo school.

Subtle washes of blue ink evoke rippling water under moonlight, while the bold brushwork of the cormorants brings them to life in a single, fluid stroke — a hallmark of Japanese sumi-e minimalism.

The handmade washi paper shows natural fibers and gentle patina, giving the piece an authentic sense of age and beauty.

Carefully preserved and ships protected in archival materials from Latvia (Riga Gallery of Japanese Art “CloudyYokomido”). A poetic treasure for collectors of Nihonga, Sumi-e and Japanese folk tradition — capturing the timeless art of fishing under lantern light.

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