By Gyokukin (玉琴) and Gyokusen (玉川), Early 20th Century

A charming pair of Japanese paintings on silk depicting flowering plants and birds in the refined nihonga tradition. One painting, titled Tenkō Inchō (“Heavenly Fragrance Attracting Butterflies”), portrays a luxuriant white and red peony in full bloom, its richly layered petals rendered in vivid, saturated colors. A butterfly hovers nearby, reinforcing the traditional association of peonies with beauty, prosperity, and springtime abundance. The companion painting depicts blossoming branches with birds, capturing the elegance and vitality of nature through delicate brushwork and harmonious coloring.

Both works are signed and sealed by Gyokukin (玉琴) and Gyokusen (玉川), who should be the same person, and was active in the early twentieth century, specializing in finely executed bird-and-flower subjects. Their meticulous attention to detail, subtle shading, and decorative sensibility reflect the enduring influence of traditional Japanese court and literati painting while appealing to the taste for elegant interior decoration.

Each signed and stamped.

{Each image: 11 1/2 x 14 inches (29.5 x 36.5 cm)}.
{Each frame: 16 1/2 x 19 1/4 inches (43.5 x 50 cm)}.