This shikishi print presents a gentle watercolour depiction of sheep, painted with a soft, luminous palette that immediately conveys calm and renewal. At the center, a small flock of sheep gathers peacefully in a green meadow, their wool rendered in delicate washes of white, grey, and pale lavender. Their rounded forms and quiet expressions give the scene a tender, almost storybook warmth.
Rising behind them is Mount Fuji, painted in subtle blues and purples, its iconic silhouette anchoring the composition and lending a sense of timelessness and national symbolism. The mountain’s presence evokes stability, protection, and continuity, while the open sky and fresh greenery suggest new beginnings.
In the upper right, the inscription 迎春 未年 (“Welcoming Spring, Year of the Sheep”) situates the work as a New Year piece, traditionally displayed to invite good fortune. In Japanese symbolism, sheep are associated with gentleness, harmony, family bonds, and peaceful prosperity—qualities especially auspicious for the New Year.
The work is signed and sealed by Shōkō (祥行), whose refined brushwork and restrained use of color reflect a sensitivity rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics. Overall, this shikishi embodies a quiet blessing: a wish for a mild, harmonious year filled with warmth, unity, and serene happiness.
Size: 24 x 27cm
