Painting on silk in mineral pigments, gofun or powdered clam shell, and sumi ink mounted as a hanging scroll, depicting a fox prancing in a pool of sunlight surrounded by shadow, with her tail wrapped around her above a delicately seeding dandelion. Signed on the upper right by the artist: Bokuyo, and sealed (Katayama Bokuyo, the go or art name of Katayama Kenzo, 1900 – 1937). Early Showa era, circa 1926 – 1936.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the box lid: Kitsune or Fox; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Bokuyo Jidai or Titled by Bokuyo, and sealed twice (the lower seal: Bokuyo).

Katayama Bokuyo was born in Hiroshima in Meiji 33. He studied painting under Tsutaya Ryūko. In 1927, he was first accepted into the annual Imperial art exhibitions with the 8th Teiten, where his entry took the tokusen or grand prize. The next year he exhibited the painting, Mori or Forest, at the 9th Teiten, where it earned him mukansa or non-vetted status. Thereafter he exhibited every year through the 12th Teiten in 1931. He died in Hiroshima at the young age of 37 in 1937.

For the exhibition byobu or screen painting by Bokuyo shown at the 9th Teiten (now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art), c.f. Kagedo’s catalogue Breaking Light, number 55.

Finely and realistically rendered, this fox prances with a stylized, almost Mannerist elegance of pose. Bokuyo details the soft seeds of the dandelion with a pale luminescence floating over vividly colored stems.