254 - A FINE AND LARGE RINPA SIX-PANEL ‘CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND AUTUMN GRASSES’ BYOBU (FOLDING SCREEN)

A FINE AND LARGE RINPA SIX-PANEL ‘CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND AUTUMN GRASSES’ BYOBU (FOLDING SCREEN) Japan, late 18th-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Ink, watercolors, gouache, and gold leaf on paper. Mounted on silk brocade on six black-lacquered wood panels with finely chased brass fittings with brocade and foliate scroll design on a ring-punched ground. Finely painted on a luminous gold ground, depicting white and yellow chrysanthemums (kiku) rising among tall susuki grasses, bush clover, and further autumnal plants scattered across a low grassy bank. The composition is arranged with elegant asymmetry, the delicate stems and arching grasses creating a gentle sense of movement across the expansive surface, while the restrained palette and broad areas of gold lend the scene a refined, serene atmosphere. SIZE 172.5 x 378 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear. Few stains and minor flaking to pigment, mainly along the joints. Small scratches and nicks. The back with signs of wear and use, including tears, scratches, and losses. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related Rinpa six-panel 'Autumn' byobu, dated 1800-1833, 156 x 361 cm, in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, object number P29w7.2. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related six-panel 'Hedge and Autumn Grasses' byobu, dated to the 19th century, 160.6 x 360.6 cm, at Christie’s, Japanese and Korean Art, 21 September 2006, New York, lot 144 (sold for USD 33,600 or approx. EUR 50,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).