Sano Kōsui 佐野光穂 (1896 –1960)
A Cat in a Melon Patch
Item number: T-3363Size: H 85" x W 25.9" (216 x 65.8 cm)
Age: circa 1925
Hanging scroll, ink, colors and gold on silk
Signature: Keimei 契明
Seal: Keimei 契明
A black cat sits among melons and looks out at the world. The artist presents us here with a striking composition of a cat sitting in unexpected surroundings. The painting is a well thought-out composition of shapes and colors in which the black furry cat with golden eyes stands out among the light-colored spiraling tendrils, decaying flowers, and bulbous melons.
The technical skills of the artist are astonishing: he manages to combine the ink, colors and gold—both wet and dry—to create the furry coat of the cat (by making ink seep out into the silk) as well as the surface patterns of the melon and leaves. The technique he uses throughout is tarashikomi, a procedure in which ink, mineral colors and gold are dipped into a still-wet surface of ink.1 As the technique is difficult to control, it is usually done on sized paper; tarashikomi on silk, as in this case, is rare. The resulting painting is an elegant display of the superlative skills of the artist.
Sano Kōsui came from the Nagano prefecture and arrived in Kyoto in 1914 during the Taishō Period, when many great painters were active at the same time.2 He was fortunate to become a student under two of the leading artists of the time. He first learned Shijō school techniques under Kikuchi Keigetsu 菊池契月 (1879 –1955), then Nihonga techniques under Tomita Keisen 富田渓仙 (1879 –1936).3
The artist was also known for his independence and strong will. He was ousted from Keigetsu’s studio after he married against the wishes of his master. Keisen, however, respected his talented student and the relations between the artist and his new master remained harmonious.
Kōsui moved to Kobe, but returned to Kyoto in 1928, where he stayed for the rest of his professional life. He specialized in paintings of animals and took part in numerous exhibitions. His works were also included in prestigious national venues, such as the Teiten and the Inten exhibtions.4
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