Rare Original Ink & Watercolor Paintings by Otomaru Kōdō

Rare Matching Pair: Original Ink & Watercolor Paintings by Living National Treasure Otomaru Kōdō (音丸耕堂) • Artist: Otomaru Kōdō (音丸耕堂, 1898–1997) – Designated Japanese Living National Treasure (1955) • Medium: Original ink wash (Sumi-e) and watercolor on hand-flecked Japanese Washi paper • Type: Seasonal Diptych / Matching Paired Set (Winter & Spring themes) • Dimensions (Framed): 14.75" x 20.75" each (approx. 37.5 cm x 52.7 cm) • Signatures/Seals: Hand-signed and stamped with the artist’s authentic red carved name seal reading 耕堂 (Kōdō) on both pieces. • Authenticity: Guaranteed original hand-painted works (Nikuhitsu). Macro-inspection reveals deep ink absorption, organic fluid pooling, hand-blended watercolor layering, and natural brush bristle textures (Kasure). No photomechanical halftone printing dots. Detailed Description & Seasonal Narrative Offered here is an exceptionally rare, intact matching pair of original brush paintings by the legendary twentieth-century Japanese master Otomaru Kōdō. While Kōdō is globally renowned for his museum-tier carved lacquerware (Chōshitsu), his foundational mastery of traditional ink calligraphy and wash techniques shines brilliantly in these intimate seasonal works. Designed to be displayed together to honor the passing of the seasons, this diptych flows masterfully from the stark resilience of winter to the sudden, explosive energy of spring. Painting 1: Winter Harvest & Cursive Haiku Calligraphy • Subject: A masterfully rendered, stout Daikon Radish. The root is detailed with delicate white-pigment brush strokes, leading up to a vibrant crown executed in the classical Tarashikomi (wet-on-wet ink pooling) technique to depict rich, clinging earth. • Calligraphy & Haiku Translation: Written in fluid cursive script (Sōsho), the poem directly celebrates the crisp winter harvest:引抜 初 / 大根の たくましさ (Hikinu[ki] hatsu / Daikon no takumashisa) "Uprooting it—the sheer robustness of the season's first daikon radish." Painting 2: Spring Growth & Vitality • Subject: Freshly harvested Bamboo Shoots (Takenoko), the ultimate botanical symbol of early spring in Japan. • Details: The young sprouts are layered with delicate pink and brown washes to mimic the texture of protective husks emerging from the soil. Placed gracefully in the background is a textured seed head of wild Foxtail Grass (Enokorogusa), anchoring the piece in the natural abundance of the changing year. Condition & Framing • Artwork Condition: The paintings are in excellent vintage condition with sharp pigment contrast. The rich, fibrous Washi paper retains its beautiful organic, textured character. • Framing: Housed in matching, mid-century slim light-wood frames with generous gallery matting. The backing features classic vintage diamond framing points and wire. (Note: The original cardboard backings are present; buyers looking to preserve the pieces long-term may look to add an acid-free archival barrier sheet behind the delicate paper). Provenance & Market Value Context Otomaru Kōdō’s works are tightly held in major global institutions, including the British Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Because his brush paintings were rarely produced for commercial retail and typically gifted directly to high-profile patrons or close inner circles, an intact, hand-painted thematic pair is an incredibly scarce market find for serious collectors of East Asian fine art Nearest intersection Younge Street and Stelees Avenue