Lotus Root and Rat, Shibata Zeshin, 1817 - 1891
sumi and slight colour on paper, goldbrocate and linen mounting with ivory knobs and original box with inscriptions, h 112cm × w 30.5cm More details
Shibata Zeshin was a successful lacquerer and print designer, as well as a painter. Here he created a simple, yet refined composition, with the tiny figure of the rat on the large lotus root. The animal’s fur is rendered with subtle brushwork, which like the colours and texture of the lotus root, was applied while the paper was still wet.
