Lot 393: YAMAMOTO SHOUN (1870-1965) Meiji (1868-1912), Tai

YAMAMOTO SHOUN (1870-1965) Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid 20th century Kakejiku (vertical hanging scroll), ink, colour and gold on silk, depicting Shoki the Demon-Queller, standing with his sword drawn, looking at a demon escaping on a cloud at the upper left, signed Shoun hitsu with two seals, one reading Shoun; with wood storage box (partially damaged). Overall 212cm x 69cm (83½in x 27 1/8in), image 128cm x 50cm (50 3/8in x 19 5/8in). (2).

A native of Kochi Prefecture, Yamamoto Shoun started his artistic training at the age of nine and briefly made his living as a decorator of ceramics before entering the studio of Taki Katei (see lot 406) in 1888. He spent two decades working mainly as a news illustrator but also made his debut as a Nihonga painter in 1896 with a scroll of Cranes and Pine shown at the first exhibition of the Nihon Kaiga Kyokai (Japan Painting Association).