Two-panel folding screen Nihonga, Hirai Baisen (1889–1969), circa 1940

Two-panel folding screen, Nihonga, Hirai Baisen (1889–1969), early Showa era (1940s)

This two-panel screen is signed by Hirai Baisen (1889–1969), a major Nihonga painter who is only now being rediscovered after decades of neglect. Born in Kyoto, Baisen chose not to apprentice under any established master, opting instead to develop his own artistic path. A decisive moment in his career was a trip to China in 1913, which profoundly influenced his work. From then on, he frequently painted landscapes inspired by the Chinese continent, integrating bold perspectives and expressive, wet brushwork. His style is often compared to that of Maeda Seison (1885–1977), and by the 1920s, their works were considered representative of new trends in Nihonga painting.

Between 1907 and 1931, Baisen’s works were regularly selected for the Bunten, the official state-sponsored exhibition in Japan. However, despite a promising start, his career gradually faded as he became a victim of the increasingly conservative tendencies within the Nihonga establishment. Only recently, with the renewed interest in art from the Taish? and early Sh?wa periods, has his work regained recognition — notably through institutions such as the Portland Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Seattle Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, and several private collections.

This folding screen reflects the evolution of Baisen’s landscape painting: the fluidity of the washes and the layering of mineral pigments convey a poetic vision of the natural world. The scene shows a winding stream flowing through a forest bathed in soft light, where maple trees in golden and pink hues evoke a near-spring atmosphere despite the autumnal setting. The attention to air and light exemplifies the Nihonga artists’ ambition to renew Japanese painting in response to Western standards, while remaining rooted in Asian traditions.

A rare example of Baisen’s later work, this screen reveals both the unique sensitivity of his brush and his key role in the development of Nihonga in the 20th century.

Mineral pigments and gofun on paper, mounted on a wooden structure with lacquered framing strips.
Minor restoration on the side of the right panel, small dents on the back of the frame.
Height: 140 cm. Total width: 154 cm (each panel: 77 cm).