MODERN JAPANESE ART

This radiant mid-20th century Japanese two-panel folding screen (byobu), measuring 173 x 170 cm, is signed by Kibō Kodama (1898–1971). A distinguished nihonga painter, Kodama masterfully depicts a lush late summer landscape dominated by golden sunflowers and vibrant foreground blossoms like cockscombs and celosia. His use of rich mineral pigments and subtle color gradations evokes the golden haze of a summer afternoon, reflecting the poignant beauty of mono no aware (the transience of things). Kodama, a leading figure in Japanese art, blended classical techniques with modern sensibilities, shaping mid-20th-century nihonga.