The moon rises small over th hermitage lost in dark washes of foliage covering the twilit hills, a fabulous calming scene by Hirai Baisen enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sanso ni Tsuki (Mountain Home and Moon).Ink on paper in beautiful cloth mounting with silver thread and solid ivory rollers (these will be changed if exporting).The scroll is 43.2 x 208 cm (17 x 82 Inches).There is one bend (not a hard wrinkle or crease) in the bottom across the signature. Otherwise, overall excellent condition.
Hirai Baisen graduated the Kyoto Municipal School of Fine Arts in 1906 and was a regular exhibitor with the Bunten from 1907-1931. In 1910, aged just 22, to the Japan-British Exhibition held in London. Having worked in any number of styles, he was a true Jiyu-gakka who excelled in the early years of his career. However, he did slowly withdraw from the competitive world of Japanese art beginning in the war years. His works are held by the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Seattle Art Museum, Honolulu, Portland Art Museum and a plethora of other important public and private collections.
