Shōki 鍾馗 — Demon Queller and the Red Sash - Textiles...

Shōki 鍾馗, the Demon Queller, fixes his fierce gaze on a small oni, or demon, from the pale circle of this Japanese hanging scroll. Fine ink strokes send his beard sweeping outward, while a vivid red sash loops around the crouching creature. Checked cloth, green cloud-patterned bands and small geometric borders frame the encounter. Rooted in Chinese legend, Shōki became a protective figure in Japan, traditionally depicted for the Boys’ Festival. The painting bears a red seal and signature. The mounted sheet measures 140 × 66 cm, excluding the hanging rope. An inscribed wooden box accompanies the scroll. Toning and spotting affect the painting, mounting and backing, with creasing, surface wear and a small damaged area on the rolled backing. The decorative strips have fraying and splits, and the pale roller ends have fine cracks. The box has worn corners, a small joint split and a long split to its lid. I am not a specialist; its suggested late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century date is approximate.

Estimate:£125.63

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