vintage japanese shikishi print : goldfish

This sparse yet intriguing work by Nakamura Gakuryo (1890-1969) celebrates the delicate, drifting movement of the goldfish. Long prized in Japan for their bold, auspicious red colouring and aesthetic beauty, these fish have come to symbolise peace and prosperity - a welcome addition to a quiet study or bedroom.

Yokoyama Taikan was a leading figure in the early twentieth century Japanese art world, and this print is from a collection of reproductions of original Japanese artworks presented to him for his 60th birthday, in 1928. What an incredible gift!

Printed on shikishi board - a traditional Japanese art material with subtle flecking and a bevelled edge in gold - these works may be framed or propped, and look spectacular in pairs or as a triptych.