Info on Japanese watercolor painting?

Discussion in 'Art' started by Studio Antiques, Jan 25, 2019.

  1. Studio Antiques

    Studio Antiques Well-Known Member

    Any ideas on what might be going on in this scene, what it says, or any other information would be greatly appreciated! TYIA!

    Measures approximately 11.5” x 9.5”

    D45DE79F-2033-4A62-AB49-E47E0F423E87.jpeg 73030E0A-64CE-472B-B24B-9F2F03831C97.jpeg 238074D3-25F0-433A-B849-11C00120DCE3.jpeg DFE05A17-DD50-40E2-B1E5-8B596847013C.jpeg 74D298F6-BA75-42C2-B3BC-206D8CEC6BFD.jpeg 53136F3D-4977-42E9-8644-29B4575413A3.jpeg
     
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  2. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Japanese Romeo and Juliet? :rolleyes:

    There is a very unusual feature to this. I wonder why there are all those tiny Japanese words, some with lines as if giving names to things in the picture?

    BTW, I think this is more likely to be a block print than a watercolor.
     
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  3. antidiem

    antidiem Well-Known Member

    Doesn't look like a block print to me, but rather an ink drawing with some color. The lines look drawn by hand in ink with a straight edge. The color looks a bit opaque like gouache. At least 2 of the writings are the same thing written down and I think that's inked by hand too.
     
  4. antidiem

    antidiem Well-Known Member

    And it may be handmade rice paper, hard to see, hard to tell.
     
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  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    The lady wears her hair almost loose in the courtly fashion, so she is aristocratic. The many kimono layers also point in that direction. The gent looks rather important as well.
    It could be a scene from Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) a Japanese 11th century novel. It is still very popular.
    The little texts are probably their names and titles. Genji Monogatari is one of those novels that reads like a phone book, so many characters that you forget who is who. So who these two are?
     
  6. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    That was my second choice. ;)
     
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  7. Studio Antiques

    Studio Antiques Well-Known Member

    Very helpful! Thanks everyone!
     
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