Ono Bakufu (大野麦風), Japanese (1888-1976)

A “Tango Sekku” (端午節句) Hanging Scroll

Showa Era (1926-1989)

About the work

This hanging scroll by Ono Bakufu depicts an armored samurai figure associated with Tango no Sekku, the traditional Japanese Boys’ Festival celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month. Executed on silk and mounted as a vertical scroll (kakejiku), the composition combines decorative elegance with strong graphic clarity.

The warrior is rendered in richly detailed armor accented with vivid reds, golds, pale blues, and black lacquer tones. The stylized figure occupies the lower portion of the composition, while the upper section is intentionally left spacious, creating a balanced and refined visual rhythm characteristic of Japanese scroll painting. Delicate geometric motifs and family crest imagery further reinforce the ceremonial nature of the subject.

Ono Bakufu’s refined linework and restrained use of color demonstrate the influence of traditional Nihonga painting, while maintaining a modern decorative sensibility. The work carries a celebratory and protective symbolism traditionally associated with Boys’ Day imagery, where depictions of warriors and armor represented strength, courage, and good fortune.

The scroll is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako).

Dimensions

193cm x 45cm

Footnote

Ono Bakufu (大野麦風, 1888-1976) was a Japanese painter and print designer best known for his detailed depictions of fish and aquatic life. Born in Tokyo, he studied Nihonga painting before developing a distinctive style that blended traditional Japanese aesthetics with careful natural observation. He achieved widespread recognition through his celebrated series “Great Japanese Fish Picture Collection” (大日本魚類画集), produced in collaboration with publisher Watanabe Shozaburo. Bakufu’s works are admired for their elegant compositions, refined draftsmanship, and subtle coloration, reflecting both scientific precision and decorative beauty within the broader tradition of twentieth-century Japanese art.