The Dance of the Skeletons, by Tanomura Chokunyu (1814-1909)

This Japanese ink and pigment painting on paper, mounted on a scroll with silk borders, depicts the macabre and captivating scene of two skeletons dancing, while a third one, seated in the background, plays a shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument. Above the scene, a poem accompanies the artist’s signature and seals.

Tanomura Chokunyu, born on February 15, 1814, in Oita Prefecture, was a renowned painter bridging the Edo and Meiji periods. As the disciple and adoptive son of the famed painter Tanomura Chikuden, he became an influential figure in Japanese art. In 1870, he moved to Kyoto, where he helped found the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting, becoming its first director in 1894. In 1904, he established the Nansou Ga School and, in 1909, founded the Japan Nanga Association. Chokunyu passed away on January 21, 1909, at the age of 94.

The painting shows slight wear on the paper and fabric, with minor stains and creases visible.
Painting dimensions: approximately 123 x 31.5 cm
Mount dimensions: approximately 186 x 43 cm