This vintage shikishi features a simple yet expressive ink painting of lotus seed pods, rendered with broad, fluid brushstrokes that give the composition a natural, spontaneous rhythm. The artist uses a restrained palette of muted greens, soft grays, and touches of earthy brown, allowing the organic forms of the lotus pods and stems to emerge gently from the white shikishi surface.
The artwork is painted in a manner with Nihonga-influenced sumi-e (墨絵) Rather than aiming for photographic precision, the slightly irregular lines and soft bleeding of ink create a sense of natural imperfection (侘び wabi), an important aesthetic value in Japanese art.
The two pods—one mature and full, the other beginning to dry—are depicted with loose, rounded outlines and soft washes of color, evoking the natural cycle of growth and transformation. The imagery of lotus pods traditionally symbolizes fertility, abundance, and the continuation of life, while the lotus itself represents purity, spiritual awakening, and resilience in East Asian art.
In the top right corner, the artist’s red seal (hanko) adds a striking contrast to the calm composition, anchoring the painting in traditional brush-and-ink aesthetics.
