Dancing Fox Spirit | Hanabusa Itchō 英一蝶 | 1652–1724

Hanabusa Itchō is considered a master of Japanese painting. Born in Osaka, he moved to Edo (Tokyo) at the age of 15 and entered a Buddhist monastery. However, he did not seem suited to monastic life, so he tried his hand at an apprenticeship under Kanō Yasunobu (1613–1685) . But because he rebelled against the aesthetic principles of the Kanō school, he was soon expelled and went his own way. Even during his lifetime, he was already a legend as a bohemian.

His great contribution to Japanese art is his depiction of rural life and folk customs. Foxes are demonic creatures that can transform into beautiful female dancers and seduce men...

The depiction of a garden gate is particularly interesting. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what this element evokes in the Japanese viewer. Does it bring to mind an Imari shrine dedicated to the fox - the most famous of which is in Fushimi near Kyoto? There, within the vast shrine grounds, one finds many fences that resemble this detail.

The painting’s old, very well-preserved silk mounting is of exquisite elegance, featuring golden brocade strips (ichimonji) and a finely woven border (chūmawashi).

The signature and seal are easily verifiable.