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Japanese Two Panel Screen: White Peafowl in Courtship Display

Circa 1900, this elegant two-panel screen depicts a white peacock displaying its magnificent plumage before a white peahen, capturing a quiet moment of courtship. Executed in mineral pigments on paper, the composition relies on subtle tonal variations and delicate brushwork, allowing the intricate fan of feathers to unfold across the screen with a sense of balance. In Japanese art, peafowl (kujaku) are admired as symbols of beauty, dignity, and prosperity, while their association with Buddhist tradition also conveys protection and wisdom. Signature and seal read Nakajima Kōshō, a Hiroshima-born painter and student of Tanaka Raishō, the screen is finished with a silk brocade border and natural wood trim, exemplifying the refined elegance of modern Japanese decorative painting.