Hanabusa Itcho (1652-1724)
Horse and Attendants Startled by a Kite
Ink and color on paper, hanging scroll

Inscription: Written by Hanabusa Itcho.
Seal: My delight lies among white clouds, springs, and rocks.
{Image size: 19 1/4 x 23 3/8 inches (48.9 x 59.4 cm)}.
{Overall size: 48 x 27 1/2 inches (121.9 x 69.9 cm)}.

A mounted traveler and his attendants struggle to control a horse startled by a large kite overhead. The horse raises its head in alarm as the attendants pull and brace themselves, while a parasol adds to the wind-driven confusion. The contrast between the sweeping kite and the tightly grouped figures turns an orderly procession into a lively scene of comic disruption.

Trained under Kano Yasunobu, Itcho developed an independent style distinguished by observations of everyday life and a keen sense of humor. Expressive, abbreviated lines convey the movements of the horse and attendants, while touches of red enliven the restrained palette. Open areas of paper allow the wind to be suggested through the bodies and objects it disturbs.

Itcho's humorous figure paintings influenced later artists, particularly those of the Utagawa school. The mid-eighteenth-century publication of Itcho gafu helped disseminate his designs and establish his reputation in giga, or playfully humorous painting. This work captures a fleeting disturbance with wit and economy, revealing the lively, comic possibilities of Japanese ink painting.

This painting will be published in Time Well Wasted: Five Hundred Years of Japanese Ink Painting, by Jingwei Zeng, published by Michaan's Auctions and Center for Asian Arts.

Provenance: From a distinguished private collection in Lafayette, California, assembled over several decades with an unwavering dedication to Japanese and Chinese art. With the generous support of the collector's family, Michaan's Auctions is honored to present selected treasures from this important collection.

Condition: The upper mounting rod has detached from the scroll.

The upper mounting rod has detached from the scroll. For condition report and additional photos, please contact the Asian Art Department.