Japanese Hanging Scroll Watanabe Kazan Style XIX Century (first half 1800) Edo Period
Size: 39cm wide, 143cm high
Weight: 220g
Material: Paper
Technique: Hand-painted
Roller ends: Wood
Condition: Antique items may have creases, stains or damage so please see photos.
Object Literature: Watanabe Kazan (渡辺 崋山, October 20, 1793 – November 23, 1841) was a Japanese painter, scholar and statesman member of the Samurai clan.
Like many other Edo-period artists, Kazan painted realistic portraits of his subjects using the effects of shading which he learned from European paintings. On one hand, he was a traditionalist Confucian, whilst on the other he was enthusiastic about Western ideas regarding science and politics.
Due to the political turmoil in which he was involved due to some articles he wrote, Watanabe committed ritual suicide (Seppuku) as a way to make amendments for the embarrassment he caused his lord.