Shibata Zeshin Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1807 - d. 1891

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  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: ELDERLY COUPLE (ROFUFU)
    Sep. 02, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: ELDERLY COUPLE (ROFUFU)

    Est: €1,200 - €2,500

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: ELDERLY COUPLE (ROFUFU) By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with seal mark Shin Japan, 19th century, late Edo (1615-1868) to Meiji period (1868-1912) Ink and watercolors on silk. Mounted as a hanging scroll within a silk brocade frame with wood jikusaki (roller ends). Finely painted in vivid brushstrokes to depict an elderly man smoking a pipe while taking a break, his robe loosened, and accompanied by his wife who spins a wheel. The background featuring bundles of straw and a bag of food and cups. Inscriptions: To the lower right corner, signed 是真 Zeshin with seal mark 真 Shin. To the exterior of the scroll, Rofufu no zu, Shibata Zeshin hitsu with one seal mark, and another three seal marks below. To the cover and one side of the storage box, inscribed Rofufu no zu, Shibata Zeshin hitsu, (one scroll). To the interior of the cover, inscribed with an authentication of the painting and signed by the artist's second son Shinsai with seal in 1885. Image SIZE 125.3 x 33 cm, SIZE incl. mounting 194.5 x 51 cm With an inscribed wood tomobako. Provenance: The private collection of Oshiki Genjiro. Shinjoji, Niigata, 14 April 1926, lot 10. A copy of the auction slip from Shinjoji, 14 April 1926, stating a purchase price of JPY 407.8, noting that the auction was held by Matsunaga Genkichi, Hokura Hikoichi and Hokura Hikohachi, accompanies the lot. A copy of the auction catalog, titled ‘Exhibition of collected items’, on the 11-14 April, at the Shojiji temple, in Niigata prefecture, with a note stating that the Oshiki family owned several works of Shibata Zeshin, and the image of the present painting, lot 19, accompanies the lot. The Oshiki family, a notable household in Niigata Prefecture, held a significant collection of works by Zeshin and maintained a close connection with the artist's second son, Shinsai. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, little creasing, and minuscule stains. The mounting with usual traces of wear and age. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter and lacquer artist of the late Edo period and early Meiji era. He studied under the great artists of the Kyoto school, including Maruyama Okyo, Okamoto Toyohiko, and Goshin. Though he would later be known primarily for his work with lacquers, Zeshin excelled at traditional ink painting, and produced many works of traditional subjects such as tigers and waterfalls. He inherited the Koma School workshop after his old teacher, Koma Kansai, died in 1835. It was here that he experimented with the technical aspects of lacquer. Along with Nakayama Komin and Shirayama Shosai, he is considered one of the three great late lacquerers of Japan. Shibata Zeshin's studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add a style and variety unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: Compare a related album leaf of an old man viewing the moon by Shibata Zeshin, dated 1886, 27.7 x 19.2 cm, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 50.2159. Auction comparison: Compare a related painting featuring a woman drying seaweed by Shibata Zeshin, 96 x 27.9 cm (the image), at Christie’s, Japanese and Korean Art Online, 7 November 2019, New York, lot 86 (sold for USD 6,000 or approx. EUR 6,600 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare a related painting featuring Jurojin and immortals by Shibata Zeshin, 136 x 55.3 cm (the image), at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 9 November 2017, London, lot 111 (sold for GBP 6,000 or approx. EUR 9,400 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER AND ANTLER NETSUKE OF AN INK CAKE
    Sep. 02, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER AND ANTLER NETSUKE OF AN INK CAKE

    Est: €2,400 - €5,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER AND ANTLER NETSUKE OF AN INK CAKE By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin 是眞 Japan, c. 1850-1880 Published: 1. Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 1878 (unillustrated). 2. Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A Comprehensive Study Based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 279, no. 848. Finely carved as an ink cake, the front in relief with various takaramono, including a sedge hat (gasa), a straw rain coat (mino), and some of the Seven Treasures (shippo), surmounted by two stems of horsetail stems (tsukushi) carved from antler, and the reverse with three words ‘yusetsu (friendship)’, ‘jori (reason)’, and ‘furan (undisturbed/peace)’. The netsuke brilliantly lacquered in imitation of an ink cake and detailed with simulated wear and old cracks. Two himotoshi through the underside and signed to the narrow side ZESHIN. LENGTH 3.1 cm Provenance: Ex-collection W. Guest, no. 1161. Ex-collection W. L. Behrens (1861-1913), no. 1878, acquired from the above. Ex-collection Mark T. Hindson (1883-1958), acquired from the above. Walter L. Behrens (1861–1913) was a German-born banker and philanthropist who became one of the most prominent European collectors of Japanese art at the turn of the 20th century. Based in London, he assembled a vast and distinguished collection that included lacquer, ceramics, and especially netsuke, which he pursued with scholarly rigor and connoisseurship. His collection was widely admired by contemporaries and frequently consulted by leading scholars of Japanese art. After his death, much of it entered major public institutions, ensuring Behrens’ enduring influence in the field. Condition: Excellent condition. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils that were used by so many of his contemporaries, never needs re-touching and never fades. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabit the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. The symbols allude to the Seven Treasures of the writing desk (bunbo shippo): the brush (fude), ink (sumi), paper (kami), inkstone (suzuri), water dropper (suiteki), paperweight (bunchin) and paper knife (kogatana). The netsuke itself represents an ink cake. The term tsukushi is written with two Chinese characters for earth and brush, thus symbolizing a brush. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related lacquer and marine ivory netsuke of an ink cake with horsetail stems, unsigned and attributed to Zeshin, illustrated in Patrizia Jirka-Schmitz (2000) Netsuke: Trumpf Collection, vol. 2, Linden Museum, 2000, p. 265, no. 108. Auction comparison: Compare a related lacquer inro and netsuke in the form of an ink cake, by Shibata Zeshin, at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 358 (sold for GBP 18,750 or approx. EUR 32,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891)
    Jun. 25, 2026

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891)

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891) 柴田是真（款，1807-1891） (Japanese, 1807-1891) Plant lacquer on paper, framed signed Zeshin sha, sealed Zeshin. 柴田是真（款） （日本，1809-1891） 紅葉圖 紙本漆繪，鏡框 Image 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in., 13 x 13 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in Philadelphia.

    Freeman’s
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891)
    Jun. 25, 2026

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891)

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（款，日本，1807-1891） (Japanese, 1809-1891) Kannon ink, lacquer, and color on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll signed and with one seal lower right. 柴田是真（款） （日本，1807-1891） 觀音圖 紙本水墨，立軸 Image 29 1/4 x 14 3/8 in, 74.3 x 36.8 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in Philadelphia.

    Freeman’s
  • Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891)
    Jun. 25, 2026

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891)

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（日本，1807-1891） (Japanese, 1807-1891) Figures ink and light color on paper, handscroll Comprising nine assorted figural scenes signed Zeshin, seal shin. Japanese wood box. Image 206 x 10 3/8 in. 523 x 26.3 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in Philadelphia.

    Freeman’s
  • † SHIBATA ZESHIN: SHOKI AND ONI
    Jun. 12, 2026

    † SHIBATA ZESHIN: SHOKI AND ONI

    Est: €4,000 - €8,000

    † SHIBATA ZESHIN: SHOKI AND ONI By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Gyonen nanajugo, Zeshin and sealed Tairyu-o Japan, dated 1881, Meiji period (1868-1912) Ink, watercolors, and gouache on silk. Mounted as a hanging scroll within a silk brocade frame with wood jikusaki (roller ends). Finely painted to depict Shoki the Demon-Queller, clutching a baton and towering over a demon writhing at his feet, Shoki's robes and beard billowing in the whirlwind of energy generated by his wrath. Inscription: To the right edge, signed 行年七十五、是真 Gyonen nanajugo, Zeshin [Zeshin at the age of 75] and sealed 對柳翁 Tairyu-o. With a loose wood panel, inscribed to the front Shibata Zeshin-o hitsu, Shoki no yokofuku [Horizontal painting of Shoki by the venerable Shibata Zeshin] and to the back Kakan'an Chikushin kan hei dai [Examined and titled by Kakan'an Chikushin] with seal Yusai. Image SIZE 39 x 49 cm and SIZE incl. mounting 136 x 78.5 cm Provenance: Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 11 May 2017, London, lot 172 (sold for GBP 6,000 or approx. EUR 9,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, little soiling, and scattered foxing. The frame with traces of wear and use, and creasing. With a loose wood panel and tomobako, all housed within a black lacquered tomobako. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabit the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: For a closely related hanging scroll depicting Shoki and two oni by the same artist, signed Zeshin, dated to 1865-1870, 99.7 x 36.1 cm, see the British Museum, registration number 1881,1210,0.2355. Auction comparison: Compare a related hanging scroll depicting Shoki and two oni by the same artist, Shibata Zeshin, 109 x 37 cm, at Christie’s, Lacquer, Jade, Bronze, Ink: The Irving Collection Day Sale, 21 March 2019, New York, lot 1153 (sold for USD 22,500 or approx. EUR 25,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK
    Jun. 12, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK

    Est: €5,000 - €10,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin Japan, c. 1880s Of circular form, masterfully decorated in delicate gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and sublime togidashi-e on a delicately sprinkled ground. The inrobuta (flush-fitting) lid is adorned with a charming scene set behind a pewter and aogai (mother-of-pearl) inlaid fence, depicting Daikoku seated on a rice pestle beneath trailing ivy vines issuing fruits, leisurely smoking a pipe. The sides and underside are finished in matte silver, while the interior is in nashiji with gold fundame rims. Signed ZESHIN on the underside. DIAMETER 7.5 cm Provenance: From the Collection of Dr. med. Josef Markwalder, Baden, Switzerland, and thence by descent. With a handwritten label ‘’Daikoku’ der Gott des Reichtums als alter Mann Pfeife rauchend. Signatur: ‘Zeshin’’. Josef Markwalder was a Swiss physician active as a spa doctor in Baden in the early 20th century. Though little is documented about his career, his name endures in scholarship on Hermann Hesse (1877–1962), the Nobel Prize–winning German-Swiss author of Siddhartha and Der Steppenwolf, where Markwalder is noted as a trusted medical figure during the writer’s difficult years of illness and recovery. Condition: Excellent condition. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabit the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related inro with a near-identical design, by Shibata Zeshin, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, accession no. W.298:1, 2-1922. Auction comparison: Compare a related gold lacquer inro showing Daikoku and ebisu, the verso with an oni and similarly inlaid fence, by Shibata Zeshin, dated to ca. 1886, at Bonhams, Patient Detail, Perfect Design, 3 November 2022, London, lot 63 (sold for GBP 38,100 or approx. EUR 50,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • Zeshin, Shibata (1807 - 1891) "Tuschestein", Edo-Darstellung eines Reibsteins *3904/4825/025 (intern)
    Jun. 07, 2026

    Zeshin, Shibata (1807 - 1891) "Tuschestein", Edo-Darstellung eines Reibsteins *3904/4825/025 (intern)

    Est: -

    Zeshin, Shibata (1807 - 1891) "Tuschestein", Edo-Darstellung eines Reibsteins, Holzschnitt, Blattmaß 19,5x42,5cm, Blatt rechts eingerissen etwa 2,5cm *3904/4825/025 (intern) Zeshin, Shibata (1807 - 1891) "Tuschestein", Edo depiction of a rubbing stone, woodcut, sheet size 19.5x42.5cm, sheet torn at right about 2.5cm *3904/4825/025 (internal)

    Auktionshaus am See
  • Shibata Zeshin, 1807-1891, Knife and bowl; plum and racket; cloak and hat; rain; seven lucky gods
    Apr. 21, 2026

    Shibata Zeshin, 1807-1891, Knife and bowl; plum and racket; cloak and hat; rain; seven lucky gods

    Est: £100 - £150

    Shibata Zeshin 1807-1891 Knife and bowl; plum and racket; cloak and hat; rain; seven lucky gods five woodblocks prints, each 24cm x 25.5cm

    Gorringes
  • After Shibata Zeshin, matching suzuribako and bunko set with quails in a cage, sold Bonhams, 19 x 15 x 6in and 12 x 11 x 2in
    Mar. 25, 2026

    After Shibata Zeshin, matching suzuribako and bunko set with quails in a cage, sold Bonhams, 19 x 15 x 6in and 12 x 11 x 2in

    Est: $5,000 - $7,000

    AFTER SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Matching Set of Suzuribako (Writing Box) and Ryōshibako (Document Box) Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, 19th/20th century Both of rectangular form with inrōbuta (flush-fitting) lids, the seidō-nuri ground decorated in gold and colored takamaki-e, gold togidashi maki-e and inlays of iridescent shell with three quails contained in an elaborate, tasseled bird cage, the interior of both lids lacquered with a spray of autumn flowers, the interior of the writing box lid inscribed with the character Ze within an oval reserve, the interior of the document box lid similarly inscribed with the character Shin; the suzuribako with a removable fitted tray containing the suzuri (ink stone) and silvered-metal suiteki (water dropper); with two inner wood and outer lacquer storage boxes, the lids of the wood boxes inscribed Ryōshibako/suzuribako uzurakago maki-e, Kurodake shozō (Document box/writing box, lacquer design of quails in a cage, Kuroda Family collection) With a handwritten document by Gōke Tadaomi and an English-language translation written by a Kyoto dealer Suzuribako: 12 5/8 x 11 1/4 x 2 3/4in (32 x 28.5 x 7cm), Ryōshibako: 19 1/4 x 15 1/2 x 6 7/8in (49 x 39.5 x 17.5cm) (2).

    Bonhams
  • A four-panel screen with pines in black lacquer on gold leaf, Shibata Zeshin, folded dimensions 60 x 24 x 5IN
    Mar. 25, 2026

    A four-panel screen with pines in black lacquer on gold leaf, Shibata Zeshin, folded dimensions 60 x 24 x 5IN

    Est: $10,000 - $15,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Miho no Matsubara Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1882 A four-panel folding screen painted in black urushi-e lacquer on gold-foiled paper depicting scattered pine trees with birds flying overhead, a hazy Mount Fuji looming in the background, signed Kōnen nanajūroku ō Tairyūkyo Zeshin and sealed Tairyūkyo 62 1/4 x 96in (158.1 x 243.8cm)

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Album of Miniature Urushi-e (Lacquer Paintings) Meiji Era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s
    Mar. 25, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Album of Miniature Urushi-e (Lacquer Paintings) Meiji Era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Album of Miniature Urushi-e (Lacquer Paintings) Meiji Era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s A miniature album of five lacquer paintings, each on paper within a gold-washed fabric surround and opposite a blank gold-washed page; the first a kyūsu (pot for sencha, steeped tea), boiling on a portable ceramic brazier and a dōgutate stand with two sumitori (tools for arranging charcoal); the second a Shōjō (red-haired drunken sprite) asleep cradling a large sakazuki (sake cup) and dipper next to a vat of sake; the third a plate of tea-ceremony sweets and two kashikiri (sweet picks); the fourth an asagao (morning glory) and leaves; the last a block of tofu and a leaf bound together with rice straw, each of the five paintings signed Zeshin and with various seals; the embroidered silk album cover depicting cranes, plum branches, and chrysanthemums, inscribed in another hand Urushi-e chō Zeshin hitsu; contained in a painted wood storage box by another artist depicting the New Year's triad of hinode (rising sun), tanchōzuru (red-crowned cranes), and kadomatsu (decorative pine saplings) With a wood tomobako storage box with an inscription by Shōji Chikushin (1854-1936) 4 1/4 x 3 1/4in (10.8 x 8.3cm) approximately, each painting; 2 x 5 1/4 x 6 3/8in (5 x 13.4 x 16.3cm), the storage box

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Set of Six Tanzaku Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s (6)
    Mar. 25, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Set of Six Tanzaku Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s (6)

    Est: $8,000 - $12,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Set of Six Tanzaku Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870s/1880s Each mounted as a kakejiku (hanging scroll), and depicting a seasonal motif, in ink and colors on gold-washed silk, including a flowering branch of plum in a bucket; two anthropomorphic sparrows preparing for suzume odori (the sparrow dance); a female figure in ceremonial attire; an oni (demon) sheltering from dried beans at the Setsubun festival; a koinobori carp banner flying from a bamboo staff on Kodomo no hi (Boys' Day); and a silk or paper purse holding leaves; each signed in ink Zeshin and with a variety of seals Five with wood tomobako storage boxes with cardboard sleeves 14 1/8 x 2 3/8in (35.9 x 6cm) each, approximately (6).

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Eggplants and Butterbur Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1880s
    Mar. 25, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Eggplants and Butterbur Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1880s

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Eggplants and Butterbur Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1880s A small album leaf mounted as a hanging scroll, painted in colored lacquer on paper ( urushi-e) with eggplants, butterbur, and grasses, signed Zeshin and illegibly sealed 4 1/4 x 3 1/2in (10.7 x 8.9cm)

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). The Four Elegant Pastimes. Paintings mounted as
    Mar. 24, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). The Four Elegant Pastimes. Paintings mounted as

    Est: $60,000 - $80,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). The Four Elegant Pastimes. Paintings mounted as a pair of six-panel screens; ink, color, lacquer, gofun, gold, silver and gold flecks on paper34 2/5 x 120 4/5 in. (87.4 x 306.8 cm.) painting only(2).

    Christie's
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING
    Jan. 23, 2026

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING

    Est: €1,000 - €2,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), seal Zeshin Japan, 19th century Ink on paper. Mounted as a hanging scroll within a silk brocade frame. Depicting a cormorant in flight with clouds respectively trees framing the central image. Dimensions: Image size: 12 x 9 cm; size including mounting: 123 x 17 cm. With an inscribed wooden tomobako storage box. Condition: Excellent condition with only very minor wear. Provenance: A noted private collector of noble descent. French private collection, acquired from the above. Shibata Zeshin's studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time.

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). PAIRE DE PARAVENTS À SIX FEUILLES Scènes de la
    Dec. 10, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). PAIRE DE PARAVENTS À SIX FEUILLES Scènes de la

    Est: €10,000 - €20,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). PAIRE DE PARAVENTS À SIX FEUILLES Scènes de la pièce de noh takasago, 1889. Hauteur d'une feuille : 163 cm. (64 1/8 in.) ; Longueur d'une feuille (intérieure et extérieure) : 50,6 cm. (19 7/8 in.) et 54,9 cm. (21 5/8 in.).

    Christie's
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): RUSU MOYO (ABSENT MOTIF) FOR FUKUROKUJU
    Dec. 05, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): RUSU MOYO (ABSENT MOTIF) FOR FUKUROKUJU

    Est: €5,000 - €10,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): RUSU MOYO (ABSENT MOTIF) FOR FUKUROKUJU Japan, 19th century Ink, watercolor, and gouache on silk. Mounted as a hanging scroll, on a silk brocade coated paper frame with wooden handles. Finely painted depicting a peaceful, autumnal scene of two monkeys hanging from the vine-clad branches of a pine tree, peering down towards a wasps' nest, guarded by other wasps, two bats hovering around, a stag and a deer grazing beside a stream, abundant reishi fungi, grasses, and bamboo growing from behind rocks in the foreground. Inscriptions: Signed, ‘Zeshin utsusu, 是真寫 (‘painted by Zeshin’), and sealed with a pot seal, ‘Zeshin’ 是真, and a square seal, ‘Koma’ 古満. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, very light creasing, and microscopic staining. The silk brocade shows minor wear and soiling. Image SIZE 123.7 x 55 cm, SIZE incl. mounting 214.5 x 70 cm With a fitted tomobako storage box. The combination of a bat (fuku), stag (roku), and pine (ju) are not only symbolic motifs for prosperity and longevity but also make up the reading for Fukurokuju, the god of longevity, whose image is intentionally omitted from this painting. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter and lacquer artist of the late Edo period and early Meiji era. He studied under the great artists of the Kyoto school, including Maruyama Okyo, Okamoto Toyohiko, and Goshin. Though he would later be known primarily for his work with lacquers, Zeshin excelled at traditional ink painting, and produced many works of traditional subjects such as tigers and waterfalls. He inherited the Koma School workshop after his old teacher, Koma Kansai, died in 1835. It was here that he experimented with the technical aspects of lacquer. Along with Nakayama Komin and Shirayama Shosai, he is considered one of the three great late lacquerers of Japan. Shibata Zeshin's studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add a style and variety unheard of at the time.

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER) FAN PAINTING DEPICTING ANTS AND A BEAN POD
    Dec. 05, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER) FAN PAINTING DEPICTING ANTS AND A BEAN POD

    Est: €2,000 - €4,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER) FAN PAINTING DEPICTING ANTS AND A BEAN POD By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with seal Nanken Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) In the shape of a fan, finely decorated in brown urushi-e lacquer on gofun-treated paper, superbly depicting a bean pod curling from the right edge toward the center, with a single ant crawling upon it and four more following in line below it. Signed to the lower right ZESHIN with seal REISAI. SIZE 37 x 16 cm (excl. frame), 55.7 x 35.2 cm (incl. frame) Provenance: Kunstzaal van Lier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. With an old collection label ‘Kunstzaal v. Lier No. 86’ to the back and inscribed on the back ‘53/2’, 2394’, and ‘Zeshin’. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear. Two small tears to the upper right corner, creasing and folds limited to the edges and corners. Part of an old blue label to the back. Presenting very well. Set within an old frame behind a passe-partout. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related lacquer painting depicting the same subject, by Shibata Zeshin, signed Zeshin with seal Zeshin, in the British Museum, registration no. 1928,0720,0.36. Auction comparison: Compare two related urushi-e (lacquer) fan paintings, by Shibata Zeshin, size 15.5 x 49 cm, at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 10 November 2011, London, lot 255 (sold for GBP 11,250 or approx. EUR 22,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER PAINTING) OF A TEA CEREMONY SET
    Dec. 05, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER PAINTING) OF A TEA CEREMONY SET

    Est: €3,000 - €6,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB URUSHI-E (LACQUER PAINTING) OF A TEA CEREMONY SET By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with seal Reisai Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Of upright rectangular form, finely decorated in masterful polychrome urushi-e lacquer on a shitan-nuri ground, mounted on paper. Elegantly depicting a still life scene of a tea ceremony set comprising a kyusu (side-handled teapot) heating on a hibachi (brazier) beautifully decorated with a spray of maple. Next to it rests a chashaku (tea scoop), a small tea bowl and a silver chaire (tea caddy). Signed to the brazier ZESHIN with seal Reisai. SIZE 47.5 x 31.5 cm (excl. frame), 64.7 x 48.5 cm (incl. frame) Provenance: Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 16 May 2013, London, lot 419. The Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani Foundation, acquired from the above. Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani (1966-2014) was a Qatari prince who served as minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage. By the turn of the 21st century, Sheikh Saoud had established an international reputation as an avid art collector, both for his own collection as well as those of several state-owned museums he oversaw in Qatar. Sheikh Saoud’s legacy as a collector is remarkable, as he laid the foundations of the major collections of Qatar Museums. In 2021, the Museum of Islamic Art hosted an exhibition in tribute to the legendary collector, titled A Falcon's Eye: Tribute to Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani. Condition: Good condition with wear. A few surface scratches, some light warping and a tiny loss to the lower corner. Overall presenting very well. With an old wood frame. Shitan-nuri (simulated rosewood lacquer) was one of the most complex surfaces that Zeshin invented. He is thought to have developed it during the 1840s and 1850s. The realistic treatment is enhanced by scratching the fictive grain of the wood into the lacquer surface, a technique in which a rat's tooth is thought to have been used. Extant shitan-nuri pieces by Zeshin are rare. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: Tea vessels were one of Zeshin’s favored still life subjects. Compare a related lacquer painting, by Shibata Zeshin, dated to 1879, in the British Museum, registration number 1913,0501,0.555. Auction comparison: Compare a related urushi-e (lacquer painting) with an ewer, by Shibata Zeshin, dated to ca. 1878, 53.7 x 58.2 cm, at Bonhams, The Mitsumi Collection of Important Works of Lacquer Art and Paintings, 5 November 2014, London, lot 11 (sold for GBP 31,250 or approx. EUR 57,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK
    Dec. 05, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK

    Est: €7,500 - €15,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A MASTERFUL INLAID LACQUER KOGO (INCENSE BOX) DEPICTING DAIKOKU TAKING A SMOKING BREAK By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin Japan, c. 1880s Of circular form, masterfully decorated in delicate gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and sublime togidashi-e on delicately sprinkled ground. The inrobuta (flush-fitting) lid is adorned with a charming scene set behind a pewter and aogai (mother-of-pearl) inlaid fence, depicting Daikoku seated on a rice pestle beneath trailing ivy vines issuing fruits, leisurely smoking a pipe. The sides and underside are finished in matte silver, while the interior is in nashiji with gold fundame rims. Signed ZESHIN on the underside. DIAMETER 7.5 cm Provenance: From the Collection of Dr. med. Josef Markwalder, Baden, Switzerland, and thence by descent. With a handwritten label ‘’Daikoku’ der Gott des Reichtums als alter Mann Pfeife rauchend. Signatur: ‘Zeshin’’. Josef Markwalder was a Swiss physician active as a spa doctor in Baden in the early 20th century. Though little is documented about his career, his name endures in scholarship on Hermann Hesse (1877–1962), the Nobel Prize–winning German-Swiss author of Siddhartha and Der Steppenwolf, where Markwalder is noted as a trusted medical figure during the writer’s difficult years of illness and recovery. Condition: Excellent condition. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related inro with a near-identical design, by Shibata Zeshin, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, accession no. W.298:1, 2-1922. Auction comparison: Compare a related gold lacquer inro showing Daikoku and ebisu, the verso with an oni and similarly inlaid fence, by Shibata Zeshin, dated to ca. 1886, at Bonhams, Patient Detail, Perfect Design, 3 November 2022, London, lot 63 (sold for GBP 38,100 or approx. EUR 50,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

    Galerie Zacke
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Eleven Woodblock Prints, 柴田是真 (1807-1891) 十一幅木版画
    Dec. 04, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Eleven Woodblock Prints, 柴田是真 (1807-1891) 十一幅木版画

    Est: $600 - $800

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Eleven Woodblock Prints 柴田是真 (1807-1891) 十一幅木版画 Including one purported silhouetted self portrait of the artist on a hanging scroll largest sheet 14.6 x 10 in — 37 x 25.5 cm Estimate: $600—800 CAD

    Waddington's
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Rooster, Hen and Chicks, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款 公鸡、母鸡与小鸡》
    Dec. 04, 2025

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Rooster, Hen and Chicks, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款 公鸡、母鸡与小鸡》

    Est: $400 - $600

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Rooster, Hen and Chicks 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款 公鸡、母鸡与小鸡》 Ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll mounted, with original wood box image 36.6 x 16.3 in — 93 x 41.5 cm Estimate: $400—600 CAD

    Waddington's
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Puppy and Goldfish, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款《小犬与金鱼》
    Dec. 04, 2025

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Puppy and Goldfish, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款《小犬与金鱼》

    Est: $400 - $600

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Puppy and Goldfish 柴田是真 (1807-1891)款《小犬与金鱼》 Ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll mounted; frame 118 x 63 cm image 9.4 x 15.4 in — 24 x 39 cm Estimate: $400—600 CAD

    Waddington's
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Okame and Oni, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)《阿亀与鬼》
    Dec. 04, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Okame and Oni, 柴田是真 (1807-1891)《阿亀与鬼》

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Okame and Oni 柴田是真 (1807-1891)《阿亀与鬼》 The Goddess of Mirth and Misrule depicted in a cartouche holding an orizuru (paper crane) and dressed in colourful robes embroidered with emblems of the Seven Lucky Gods while a demon cowers in fear outside, signed 'Tairyuko Zeshin' and sealed 'Tairyuko', circa 1880; ink, colour, and gold on silk, hanging scroll mounted, with fuuchin (scroll weights) and original wood box image 41.7 x 15.7 in — 106 x 40 cm Estimate: $2,000—3,000 CAD

    Waddington's
  • Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 2 Prints
    Nov. 24, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 2 Prints

    Est: $300 - $400

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 2 Prints. Woodblock prints, signed. Unframed, mounted on mat board. Includes "Sparrow on a Bloom," 1878, from the series Hanakurabe (Comparison of Flowers). Each Size: 7.5'' x 10'', 19 x 25 cm (sheet); 9'' x 13'', 23 x 33 cm (mat).

    Material Culture
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (attributed to 1807 – 1891) Untitled
    Nov. 18, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (attributed to 1807 – 1891) Untitled

    Est: £300 - £500

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (attributed to 1807 – 1891) Untitled Meiji period, dated 1867 A pair of hanging scroll paintings, kakejiku, ink and colour on silk, signed Zeshin, stamped with artist's seals, one cyclically dated Hino no U (the year of the fire rabbit), contained in an inscribed box. Total 146cm x 27.5cm (4) Provenance: an English private collection, acquired from Hiroshi Yanagi at Tokyo Gallery, Kyoto in the 1990s. A set of four very similar four scrolls by Zeshin sold at Bohnams Hong Kong 20 – 27th August 2020, lot 105. (146cm x 27.5cm) Qty: (4)

    Azca Auctions
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Kashibako (boîte à confiseries) en laque et à texture de rotin Ère Meiji (1868-1912), vers 1880-1891 (3)
    Oct. 15, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Kashibako (boîte à confiseries) en laque et à texture de rotin Ère Meiji (1868-1912), vers 1880-1891 (3)

    Est: €4,800 - €5,800

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) Kashibako (boîte à confiseries) en laque et à texture de rotin Ère Meiji (1868-1912), vers 1880-1891 SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Lacquered and Rattan-Textured Kashibako (Confectionery Box) Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1880-1891 The exterior, underside, and interior of the box lacquered and finished to resemble woven bamboo and decorated in iro-e takamaki-e with two aubergines on the sides, the design of the larger aubergine continuing down onto the underside, the lid covered with black-lacquered hemp to simulate cloth, signed inside the lid in gold lacquer Zeshin; with a wood tomobako storage box inscribed on the outside of the lid, Zeshin-ō saku, nasu maki-e kashiki ( Maki-e confectionary box with aubergine design made by the venerable Zeshin), the inside of the lid with an inscription by Shōji Hōshin, Zeshin's grandson, attesting this box as a work by Zeshin, dated summer, Showa 51 (1976), signed Shōji Hōshin kan (Examined by Shōji Hōshin) with seal Hōshin 6,5 x 16 x 9,5cm (3).

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Kanda daimyojin (The deity Kanda). Hanging scro
    Sep. 25, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Kanda daimyojin (The deity Kanda). Hanging scro

    Est: $1,200 - $2,200

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Kanda daimyojin (The deity Kanda). Hanging scroll; ink on paper36 3/8 x 11 3/8 in. (92.4 x 28.9 cm.).

    Christie's
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Accordion Album of 12 Paintings of the Eastern Capital Meiji era (1868-1912), c.1883
    Sep. 17, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Accordion Album of 12 Paintings of the Eastern Capital Meiji era (1868-1912), c.1883

    Est: $10,000 - $15,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) An Accordion Album of 12 Paintings of the Eastern Capital Meiji era (1868-1912), c.1883 Each painting executed in ink and color on silk depicting landscape, urban, and rural scenes, each signed Zeshin with a variety of seals, three of the paintings including Gyōnen nanajūnana-ō as part of the signature, the album cover label inscribed Tōto meisho chō (Album of Famous Places in the Eastern Capital), with a wood tomobako storage box containing an authentication inscription by Ayaoka Yūshin (1846-1910), accompanied by a letter of authentication by Shōji Chikushin (1854-1936), the letter dated 1930 9 1/4 x 9 1/4in (23.5 x 23.5cm) each painting, approximately; 10 x 10 x 2 5/8in (25.4 x 25.4 x 6.7cm), the album

    Bonhams
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) AND KIKUCHI YŌSAI (1788-1878) A Set of Two Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), dated 1876 and 1888 (2)
    Sep. 17, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) AND KIKUCHI YŌSAI (1788-1878) A Set of Two Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), dated 1876 and 1888 (2)

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) AND KIKUCHI YŌSAI (1788-1878) A Set of Two Paintings Meiji era (1868-1912), dated 1876 and 1888 Both executed in ink and light color on silk, the first of a samurai on horseback on the shore of a body of water, sailboats and Mount Fuji on the horizon, signed Hachijūkyū-ō Yōsai and sealed Tamawaru Nihon gashi and Yōsai, the second of a carp ascending a waterfall, signed Gyōnen hachijūni-ō Zeshin and sealed Tairyūkyo, with a single wood tomobako storage box 40 3/8 x 14 1/8in (102.6 x 35.9cm) each approximately (2).

    Bonhams
  • A Japanese woodblock print, including pupils of Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891), Meiji period Cockerel and various poems
    Sep. 09, 2025

    A Japanese woodblock print, including pupils of Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891), Meiji period Cockerel and various poems

    Est: £100 - £150

    A Japanese surimono woodblock print, depicting a cockerel and poems, signed and with a seal of Yushin, together with two further signatures for Chikushin and Taishin, who were are all pupils of Shibata Zeshin Size:(56cm x 20.7cm)

    Chiswick Auctions
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): AN IMPRESSIVE PAIR OF MAKIMONO WITH CHINESE AND JAPANESE FIGURES
    Jul. 24, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): AN IMPRESSIVE PAIR OF MAKIMONO WITH CHINESE AND JAPANESE FIGURES

    Est: €2,000 - €4,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): AN IMPRESSIVE PAIR OF MAKIMONO WITH CHINESE AND JAPANESE FIGURES By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), authenticated by Shoji Chikushin with seal Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Ink and watercolor on paper. Both mounted as makimono handscrolls within a paper and silk brocade frame. The first scroll titled on the backside, by Shoji Chikushin, 是真翁筆和人巻物 ‘Zeshin o hitsu Wajin makimono [A handscroll painting depicting Japanese figures, painted by an old venerable Zeshin], depicting selected aspects of daily activities, scenes and contemporary customs set within the rural landscape of Edo, comprising: Mother planting rice in Spring, her child playing nearby Child blowing a kusabue (leaf whistle) beside a scythe and basket Horishi (temple carver) with chisel and hammer, adding the finishing touches to a large sculpture of the Buddhist protector Nio, his apprentice sharpening tools beside him Seated Oni no nenbutsu Recumbent deer Peasant woman beating cloth with a kinuta Grazing boar Parading courtesan seen from behind Servant leading a packhorse Two warriors clad in full armor, one reading out the contents of a scroll The second scroll also titled on the backside, by Shoji Chikushin, 是真翁筆漢人巻物 ‘Zeshin o hitsu Kanjin makimono’ [A handscroll painting depicting Chinese figures, painted by an old venerable Zeshin], comprising: Jurojin carrying karako Five karako playing Tamaasobi beside a large pine tree during the New Year festivities Pine trees Jurojin fallen asleep with deer and turtle Chok'waro sennin, holding a gourd from which his horse has just emerged Seated Gama sennin with pet toad Demon queller Shoki on the chase for demons Inscriptions: The handwritten title inscriptions on both makimono hand scrolls: 先師是真翁真筆無疑者也、竹真鍳 ‘Senshi Zeshin o shinpitsu utagai naki nari ya’ [This is without doubt a genuine work painted by my former venerable Master Zeshin, certified by Chikushin] with the seal ‘Chikushin Yukei 竹真有敬’ [Chikushin, Yukei (Aritaka)]. The box cover 柴田是真翁筆、和漢人物画巻、貮巻 ‘Shibata Zeshin o hitsu, Wakan jinbutsu emaki, nikan’ [A pair of handscroll paintings, picture scrolls depicting the Chinese and Japanese figures, painted by an old master Shibata Zeshin], the inside of the cover signed 竹真識, with the seal 有敬 ‘Chikushin shirusu’, [Authenticated and attested by Chikushin, with the seal Yukei (Aritaka)]. SIZE (image) 28 x 496 cm (first scroll), 27 x 413 cm (second scroll) SIZE (incl. mounting) 31 x 723.6 x cm (first scroll), 31 x 643 cm (second scroll) Condition: Presenting very well with minor traces of wear such as creases and slight staining. Material loss and tears, hardly noticeable due to the mounting and with associated touchups. Roller ends removed. Provenance: Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art part II, London, 10 May 2011, lot 366, (sold for GBP 24,000). A noted private collection acquired from the above. Edward A. ‘Ted’ Wrangham (1928-2009) formed one of the most important collections of Japanese Art in modern times. His reference book ‘The Index of Inro Artists’ (1995) is considered one of the most important English-language studies on Japanese lacquer ever published. Both contained within an inscribed tomobako storage box. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. Nominated as one of the first Teishitsu Gigeiin (Imperial Court Artist) in Meiji 23 (1890), Shibata Zeshin excelled in several art forms, including painting, lacquer-making, print design, and calligraphy. He had an outstanding studio with talented students specializing in lacquer, paintings and prints. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils being used by so many of his contemporaries, never needed re-touching and never faded. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Shoji Chikushin (1854-1936), also known as Yukei or Aritaka, the name literally means ‘with respect, respectfully’, was a dedicated pupil of Shibata Zeshin, well-versed in authenticating his teacher's works after his passing. His expertise was recognized at the National Industrial Exposition in 1877, where he received an award of merit. Auction comparison: Compare an emaki handscroll of choju-giga turtles by Shibata Zeshin, at Zacke, 1 September 2022, Vienna, lot 312 (sold for EUR 32,864).

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING
    Jul. 24, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING

    Est: €1,000 - €2,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891): A FINE MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTING By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), seal Zeshin Japan, 19th century Ink on paper. Mounted as a hanging scroll within a silk brocade frame. Depicting a cormorant in flight with clouds respectively trees framing the central image. Dimensions: Image size: 12 x 9 cm; size including mounting: 123 x 17 cm. With an inscribed wooden tomobako storage box. Condition: Excellent condition with only very minor wear. Provenance: A noted private collector of noble descent. French private collection, acquired from the above. Shibata Zeshin's studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time.

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP
    Jul. 24, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP

    Est: €1,000 - €2,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with a seal Tairyukyo Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Superbly worked with brown urushi-e lacquer on paper. Elegantly depicting a leaping carp below stylized wave. Signed to the lower right ZESHIN with seal Tairyukyo 對柳居. The lacquer painting is set in a fine passepartout with a double gold band. With a gilt-wood vintage frame. SIZE 16.4 x 18.2 cm (excl. frame), 41.2 x 45.2 cm (incl. frame) Condition: Very good condition with minor creases and light wear as visible in the images provided. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils that were used by so many of his contemporaries, never needs re-touching and never fades. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Auction comparison: Compare a related album of 18 miniature urushi-e paintings, including one of a group of carps similarly lacquered, by Shibata Zeshin, dated c. 1881, at Bonhams, The Misumi Collection of Important Works of Lacquer Art and Paintings, 10 November 2015, London, lot 8 (sold for GBP 108,100).

    Galerie Zacke
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | Sleeping cat and butterfly | Meiji period, late 19th century
    Jun. 13, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | Sleeping cat and butterfly | Meiji period, late 19th century

    Est: €15,000 - €20,000

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) Sleeping cat and butterfly Meiji period, late 19th century hanging scroll: ink and light colour on paper, signed Zeshin, sealed Tairyukyo, silk brocade border, black lacquer scroll ends, accompanied with later fitted wood storage box 128 x 52.8 cm., 50⅜ x 20¾ in. (excluding mount) 186 x 63 cm., 73¼ x 24¾ in. (including mount) 7 x 71.5 x 7.4 cm., 2¾ x 28⅛ x 2⅞ in. (the fitted wood storage box) ______________________________________________________________ Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Chat endormi et papillon, époque Meiji, fin du XIXe siècle

    Sotheby's
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | A kyusu [teapot for sencha] on a tray and butterfly | Meiji period, late 19th century
    Jun. 13, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | A kyusu [teapot for sencha] on a tray and butterfly | Meiji period, late 19th century

    Est: €1,000 - €1,500

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) A kyusu [teapot for sencha] on a tray and butterfly Meiji period, late 19th century   woodblock print, surimono, embellished with metallic pigment, signed Zeshin, sealed, privately issued in 1872; with collector's seal of Gerhard Pulverer to verso   20.1 x 27 cm., 7⅞ x 10⅝ in. ______________________________________________________________ Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Une théière pour sencha et un papillon, époque Meiji, fin du XIXe siècle

    Sotheby's
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | Three surimono | Meiji period, late 19th century
    Jun. 13, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | Three surimono | Meiji period, late 19th century

    Est: €1,500 - €2,000

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) Three surimono Meiji period, late 19th century each a woodblock print, surimono, signed Zeshin, privately issued; each with collector's seal of Gerhard Pulverer to verso, and comprising: - The courtesan Eguchi no Kimi seated on a white elephant, embellished with metallic pigment and embossing, sealed Reisai - Clam shell and sprig of plum blossom, sealed Taiyukyo - Villagers making an offering at a shrine, sealed Tairyukyo Shikishiban surimono: 20.9 x 17.4 cm., 8¼ x 6⅞ in. (the first) Shikishiban surimono: 20.4 x 18.5 cm., 8 x 7¼ in. (the second) Horizontal nagaban: 19.8 x 44.6 cm., 7¾ x 17½ in. (the third) ______________________________________________________________ Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), Trois surimono, époque Meiji, fin du XIXe siècle

    Sotheby's
  • Vögel
    Jun. 13, 2025

    Vögel

    Est: €800 - €1,200

    Three shikishiban. a) Zeshin. Crows flying at sun rise. Signed: Hachijūichi ō Zeshin. Seal: Zeshin. Published in 1888 by Daikokuya (Matsuki Heikichi). b) Bihō. Rooster and hen. Signed: Bihō. Seal: Bihō. About 1925. c) Nagamachi Chikuseki (act. Meiji era). Cranes and bamboo. Signed: Chikuseki utsushi? Seal. About 1900. (3)

    Lempertz
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP
    Jun. 13, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP

    Est: €1,500 - €3,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A FINE URUSHI-E PAINTING OF A LEAPING CARP By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with a seal Tairyukyo Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Superbly worked with brown urushi-e lacquer on paper. Elegantly depicting a leaping carp below stylized wave. Signed to the lower right ZESHIN with seal Tairyukyo 對柳居. The lacquer painting is set in a fine passepartout with a double gold band. With a gilt-wood vintage frame. SIZE 16.4 x 18.2 cm (excl. frame), 41.2 x 45.2 cm (incl. frame) Condition: Very good condition with minor creases and light wear as visible in the images provided. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils that were used by so many of his contemporaries, never needs re-touching and never fades. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Auction comparison: Compare a related album of 18 miniature urushi-e paintings, including one of a group of carps similarly lacquered, by Shibata Zeshin, dated c. 1881, at Bonhams, The Misumi Collection of Important Works of Lacquer Art and Paintings, 10 November 2015, London, lot 8 (sold for GBP 108,100).

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER TANZAKU (POEM CARD) DEPICTING A HYOTAN (DOUBLE GOURD)
    Jun. 13, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER TANZAKU (POEM CARD) DEPICTING A HYOTAN (DOUBLE GOURD)

    Est: €2,000 - €4,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN: A SUPERB LACQUER TANZAKU (POEM CARD) DEPICTING A HYOTAN (DOUBLE GOURD) By Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), signed Zeshin with seal Reisai Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) Of upright rectangular form, finely decorated in polychrome urushi-e lacquer with flakes of gold and silver on paper mounted on a silver-backed card. Elegantly depicting a partial view of an orange double gourd, wrapped with a red silk cord and with a stopper. Signed to the lower side within the translucent gourd ZESHIN 是真 with seal Reisai 令哉. SIZE 5.7 x 35 cm Condition: Good condition with some creases to the front and losses to the reverse. Presenting well. Provenance: Bonhams, The Misumi Collection of Important Works of Lacquer Art and Paintings, 5 November 2014, London, lot 9 (sold for GBP 2,500, approx. EUR 4,545 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). The Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani Foundation, acquired from the above, Bonhams, Masterpieces of Japanese Art from a Royal Collection, 7 November 2019, London, lot 12. A British private collection, acquired from the above. The fine wood tomobako (storage box) with the inscription: Tanzaku ZESHIN hitsu たんざく 是真筆 [tanzaku brushed by Zeshin]. Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) was a Japanese painter, lacquer artist, and printmaker of the late Edo period to early Meiji era. He has been called ‘Japan's greatest lacquerer.’ His work, unlike the oils that were used by so many of his contemporaries, never needs re-touching and never fades. He was a master of emulating oil or ink painting with lacquer and combined groundbreaking techniques with traditional subjects. His studio was situated on the bank of a river, providing him with ample opportunity to observe nature, and the creatures that inhabited the natural world. Like many painters of the 19th century, he was eclectic in his sources and would have been exposed to traditional styles. However, Zeshin's skill level was such that he could fluidly mix techniques, ideas, and stylistic options, thus painting part of a composition in one manner and including elements of another to add variety and dynamics unheard of at the time. Literature comparison: For an example of an actual gourd fitted with a red silk cord, lacquered by Zeshin with a springtime dandelion design, see Nezu Bijutsukan 2012, cat. no. 30. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related tanzaku (poem card) depicting a feather, by Shibata Zeshin, dated to the 19th century, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object number 56.124.1.

    Galerie Zacke
  • SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Scènes de la pièce de noh takasago, 1889. Haute
    Jun. 10, 2025

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Scènes de la pièce de noh takasago, 1889. Haute

    Est: €10,000 - €20,000

    SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891). Scènes de la pièce de noh takasago, 1889. Hauteur d'une feuille : 163 cm. (64 1/8 in.) ; Longueur d'une feuille (intérieure et extérieure) : 50,6 cm. (19 7/8 in.) et 54,9 cm. (21 5/8 in.).

    Christie's
  • Zeshin, Shibata
    Jun. 10, 2025

    Zeshin, Shibata

    Est: €200 - €300

    Zeshin, Shibata Japan, 1809 - 1891 53,3 x 21,2 cm Surimono. Calligraphy and writing utensils, including inkstone. Signed and sealed. From an old Berlin private collection - From an old Berlin private collection - Backed, partially rubbed, water stain on the right side Zeshin, Shibata Japan, 1809 - 1891 53,3 x 21,2 cm Surimono. Kalligrafie und Schreibutensilienm u. a. Tuschestein. Signiert und Siegel. Aus einer alten Berliner Privatsammlung - Hinterlegt, partiell berieben, seitlich rechts Wassefleck

    Nagel Auction
  • Shibata Zeshin Maples Leaves and Rain Fan Painting
    May. 21, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin Maples Leaves and Rain Fan Painting

    Est: $300 - $600

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891). Ink, colors, and gold on paper fan painting titled "Maples Leaves and Rain," ca. 1840. Loan: Minneapolis Institute of Art, L80.75.1, ca. 1980-81. Provenance: From the Distinguished Personal Collection of Dr. Robert Jacobsen.

    Revere Auctions
  • Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)
    Mar. 24, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)

    Est: €100 - €150

    A 19th-century Japanese fan with lacquer painting, depicting a bean with ants. Signed by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891). Provenance: Kunstzaal van Lier

    Ald Fryslan
  • Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（日本，1807-1891）製蒔繪煙草盒
    Mar. 21, 2025

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（日本，1807-1891）製蒔繪煙草盒

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（日本，1807-1891）製蒔繪煙草盒 (Japanese, 1807-1891) The rectangular lacquer tonkotsu (tobacco box) is decorated with a raised eggplant and vines, trailing over the cover, signed on the base, Zeshin; together with a kiseruzutsu (pipe case), applied with a rich black lacquer and decorated with shaped reserves against a partial diaper ground. Eggplant ojime. Length of pipe case 7 7/8 in., 20 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in New York.

    Freeman’s
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891) 柴田是真（款，1807-1891）
    Mar. 21, 2025

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891) 柴田是真（款，1807-1891）

    Est: $1,000 - $1,500

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1809-1891) 柴田是真（款，1807-1891） (Japanese, 1807-1891) Plant lacquer on paper, framed signed Zeshin sha, sealed Zeshin. 柴田是真（款） （日本，1809-1891） 紅葉圖 紙本漆繪，鏡框 Image 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in., 13 x 13 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in New York.

    Freeman’s | Hindman
  • Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（款，日本，1807-1891）
    Mar. 21, 2025

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（款，日本，1807-1891）

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    Attributed to Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807-1891) 柴田是真（款，日本，1807-1891） (Japanese, 1809-1891) Kannon ink, lacquer, and color on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll signed and with one seal lower right. 柴田是真（款） （日本，1807-1891） 觀音圖 紙本水墨，立軸 Image 29 1/4 x 14 3/8 in, 74.3 x 36.8 cm. Property from the Collection of Jay R. Butterman, New York, New York This lot is located in New York.

    Freeman’s | Hindman
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