The Exquisite Realism of Maruyama

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

In Japan, graphic art is closely related to furnishings. The screen is an important and original piece. Designed to be folded and moved, it enables to change the look of the room where it is adding to the iconography of the hanging scrolls.

A little over two centuries, Maruyama Okyo caused a scandal in the world of traditional Japanese art by showing landscapes of great realism. His sense of perspective may be due to the influence of Western art. He worked in ink, decorated with soft colors.

Bonhams is selling on May 12 in London a pair of screens bearing the signature and seal of the master. Each consists of six paper panels of 172cm x 61 cm. We see a beach, the sea and its waves, birds standing and in flight. The text states: Okyo painted it by the middle of spring of Snake year (which provides the precise date of 1785 of our calendar).

The Bonhams press release alludes without details on a millionaire auction in New York. I found it at Christie's: on September 18, 2007, a pair of screens depicting cranes in close-up was sold $ 1.1 million including expenses.

The two artworks are not comparable, because the screen of Christie's was plated with gold leaf. Bonhams gives for its lot an estimate of £ 155 K (or, if you prefer, ¥ 23 million).

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Unsold. The estimate was tight: only 20 K£ between low estimate and high estimate. This condition almost always indicates that the reserve price is too expensive.

This lot was interesting. However, as I indicated above, the comparison with the pair of screens sold at Christie's was risky. Fortunately, on the art market, the best experts are the buyers.