Japanese Silk Painting - 1945 (or earlier)
My father purchased this silk painting in Kyota, Honshu, Japan on 11/25/1945 for $50US while stationed in Japan as part of the US Army Occupation Forces after WWII. He mailed it to his parents in Portland, Oregon . They hung it on a wall in the living room of their home. There was no direct sunlight on the silk painting. Artist, designer or maker of the artwork is unknown from observation of framed artwork. The back of wood frame is sealed with white paper. The silk painting appears to be in very good to excellent condition; it’s covered with sheet glass.
28”x23”x2”
Inherited
Yes
Hello, this item is a Japanese silk painting, most likely dating to the mid 20th century, consistent with the documented purchase in Kyoto in 1945 during the immediate postwar occupation period. The subject matter, a leopard in a natural landscape, reflects export oriented imagery rather than traditional Japanese iconography, which often focused on birds, seasonal flora, or more stylized compositions. The painting technique shows soft tonal transitions and controlled brushwork typical of workshop produced silk paintings intended for Western buyers. The presence of the handwritten label on the reverse, detailing its purchase in Kyoto and shipment to the United States in early 1946, adds strong historical context and supports the dating, even if the individual artist remains unidentified.
From a market perspective, these occupation era Japanese silk paintings were widely produced and sold to American servicemen, and their value today depends on condition, composition, and presentation rather than rarity. The piece appears to be in stable condition with no major visible damage, and the original backing inscription adds modest provenance interest. Comparable works of similar size and subject typically trade in the range of $150 to $400 USD in the current market.
Hi Doug,
Thank you for your very useful clarification. If the image is actually woven from colored silk yarn rather than painted on silk, that changes the medium, but it does not necessarily increase the market value. In many cases, woven silk pictures made for the export market in postwar Japan remain decorative works valued mainly for condition, image quality, and display appeal, unless they can be linked to a known studio, artist, or a particularly rare weaving tradition. Based on what is currently visible, the general value conclusion would likely remain in the same range.
I realized today after researching Japanese silk paintings that the “painting” I submitted is actually a weave or woven colored silk yarn. That is, it’s not a painted silk sheet aka painted silk. I have no idea how this affects the valuation but because I haven’t seen anything like it online, it makes sense to bring it to your attention. If needed, I can submit a few close-up photos to show the weave of the yarn.