Phoenix
白鳳図
Kamisaka Sekka · Date unknown (estimated late Taisho to early Showa) · Hanging scroll
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A hanging scroll by Kamisaka Sekka, a Kyoto painter active from the Meiji to Showa eras, painted on silk with a white phoenix (hakuho) perched on a pine trunk. It carries on Rimpa techniques and is held by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.
- Artist
- Kamisaka Sekka
- Date
- Date unknown (estimated late Taisho to early Showa)
- Medium / format
- Hanging scroll
About this work
At the center of the tall format, a bird with a long white tail trailing behind it perches on a pine trunk. Its head is turned to the right, and a mass of green pine needles is visible at its foot. Along the tail feathers, blue eye-like patterns are scattered.
According to the museum, Sekka's best-known white phoenix paintings are the diptych Old Pine in the Morning Sun and White Phoenix (private collection) from the end of the Taisho era, and White Phoenix (Hosomi Museum) made for the enthronement ceremony of the Showa Emperor. This work resembles them: the angle of the neck and the expression differ, but the body is turned almost the same way.
The pairing of a pine and a white phoenix recalls Ito Jakuchu's Old Pine and White Phoenix from Doshoku sai-e. Yet in the way it is painted, techniques inherited from the Rimpa school shine through, including the relaxed lines of the phoenix, the pine trunk made with the tarashikomi technique, and the dense mass of pine needles. From the signature and seal, it is estimated to date from the end of the Taisho era to the early Showa era.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
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Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Phoenix, and when?
- Phoenix is by Kamisaka Sekka, made in Date unknown (estimated late Taisho to early Showa). Medium: Hanging scroll.
- Where can I see Phoenix?
- It is held by Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
- Japan Search (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
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