Background
Jôryû (乗竜 or 上竜) was the artist Mihata Jôryû (三畠乗竜 or 三畠上竜). He was a Nihonga-eshi (painter in the Japanese style: 日本画絵師) whose works appear to date between circa 1830-1843. Born in Kyoto where he continued to live and work, Jôryû studied with Okamoto Toyohiko (1773-1845), a leading painter of the Shijô-hua (Shijô-school: 四条派) who taught, among others, Shinryû (1804-56) and Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891). Jôryû specialized in fûzokuga (pictures of manners and customs: 風俗画, genre paintings depicting daily life and popular pastimes) and in bijinga (pictures of beautiful women: 美人画). His style incorporates ukiyo-e and Shijô influences. Jôryû's works were greatly admired during his lifetime; he was honored with the title hôgen (lit., "eye of the law," 法眼, here indicating the second highest of three honorary ranks awarded to artisans and artists). Examples of Jôryû's paintings are in museums such as the Freer Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Design
This fûzokuga depicts a familar scene of a young beauty breaking off a branch of flowering cherry to take home and display in a vase.
The mounting is new; the wood (paulownia) storage box is old but not signed. A charming work by a well-known Kyoto artist in exceptional condition!
References: Roberts, A Dictionary of Japanese Artists, p. 62.
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