Framed Japanese Ink Painting Hidaka Tetsuo

An ink painting on the fan surface by Japanese Zen artist Hidaka Tetsuo (1791-1871), now framed in a traditional Japanese carved wood frame with silk fabric mat and decorative hanging tassels. The painting depicts a floral group consisting of autumn grasses and pairs of chrysanthemums. The inscription suggests an interesting and rather personal background. The Kanji reads "To My Soul Mate" with "my" being an informal and intimate form. It is clear that the fan was painted as a present to a close friend. This personal message was also reflected in the painting by prominently placing the two large chrysanthemums together. This type of literary painting was quite popular in the literati society, with its subtle, near allegorical essence in the art form. The artist dated the work to the autumn of 1853 (the late Edo period). It is signed with his name Tetsuo and a single red seal.
Tetsuo was a monk of Zen-sect who painted in Chinese ink style. He was born in Nagasaki and studied painting under Yushi Ishizaki and Kaho Koh. He was known as one of the three great painters in Nagasaki prefecture (the other two are Gomon Miura and Itsuun Kinoshita). Similar ink painting on fans by the artist are held in the collection of Seattle Art Museum (92.47.323.15) and British Museum (1973.0226.0.91 and 1973.0226.0.89).