A vintage shikishi print features the work "童牛図 (Dōgyū-zu)" or "Child with Ox" by renowned Nihonga artist Hirafuku Hyakusui (平福百穂, 1877–1933). Rendered in delicate ink tones with minimal color, the scene depicts a tranquil rural moment, a young child riding bareback on an ox, subtly evoking themes of harmony between humanity and nature, and the meditative simplicity found in everyday life.
The brushwork is graceful and fluid, capturing the ox’s quiet strength and the child’s gentle posture with poetic sensitivity. Hyakusui’s signature and red seal are located at the bottom right, affirming its authenticity as a reproduction issued by Ōtsuka Kōgeisha (大塚巧芸社) a prestigious Kyoto-based publisher of fine art prints, known for faithfully reproducing works of great Japanese masters on premium paper with traditional techniques.
Hirafuku Hyakusui was a pioneer of modern Nihonga (Japanese-style painting), and a founding member of the Nihon Bijutsuin (Japan Art Institute). He contributed significantly to the transition from Meiji-era realism to Taishō-period expressionism in traditional painting. His works often celebrated classical Japanese themes with a refined, naturalistic style.
