Rare Japanese Floor Screen of Perched Eagles Soga Shohaku Edo period

A rare six-panel Japanese folding floor screen (Byōbu) by Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781) from Edo period. The screen depicts six perched hawk-eagles in various poses positioned in a literary landscape composed of plants, flowers, trees, rocks and all above waves. The black and white screens were painted in ink with superb composition, vivid motion and meticulous details. It strikes the viewer with a strong sense of power and energy. Mountain hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey native to Asia. A symbol of warriors, it represents strength and power. During Edo period, the bird increasingly became symbols of status for its bravery and nobility, and many artworks were commissioned with this theme. The screen bears the artist's name and title of the work (on the first left section) and each were sealed by the artist at least once. Each painting was mounted with blue brocade suji stripes on the upper and lower borders, further surrounded by silver foil paper and then wider blue brocade outer border and wood frame. The back was lined with paper with coin design. Considering its age, the screen was likely relined and remounted at some historical point in its life.
Initially studying under Takada Keiho of the prominent Kanō School, which drew upon Chinese techniques and subject matters, Shōhaku later departed that artistic style and instead distinguished himself from his by reviving the bolder brush style of the Muromachi period, more than a century of his time. He painted mostly monochromes in ink and his work was often considered unorthodox by his contemporary for its strange depiction of character. His style only softened in his later years after he settled in Kyoto.
For comparable hawk paintings by the artist, see 2000.53 (identical seal) in the collection of Indianapolis Musuem of Art; 11.6984, 11.7049.1 (which bears a near identical title) in the collection of Boston Museum of Fine Art.