Antique Asian Kacho-ga Silk Painting Chrysanthemums and Butterfly 17x21

Japanese Kachō-ga (花鳥画) Silk Painting: Chrysanthemums and a Swallowtail Butterfly, Signed Suika (萃香)

Late 19th or early 20th century

This is a Japanese kachō-ga (bird-and-flower) painting in ink and mineral color on silk, depicting a spray of chrysanthemums in full bloom with a swallowtail butterfly in flight above. The flowers are rendered in a soft blue-lavender to white gradient with golden centers against a pale, atmospheric ground; the butterfly's wings carry fine black-and-white patterning with small red eye-spots. Signed Suika (萃香), with a red seal below.

The composition sits in the academic Shijō-derived tradition of Meiji-era kachō-ga, prizing close naturalistic observation paired with a restrained, elegant palette. The pairing of chrysanthemum and butterfly (kiku to chō) is a long-standing motif in Japanese painting: chrysanthemum for autumn and longevity, the butterfly for transformation and the season's fleeting beauty.

Form: Japanese kachō-ga (bird-and-flower) painting, ink and color on silk, framed under glass
Construction or Decoration: Brush-painted on silk, mounted to a paper backing; graded wash background
Mark: Signed Suika (萃香), with a red seal below
Period: Late 19th century
Dimensions: 17"W x 21"H
Weight: 1
Condition: Paper backing shows lifting/separation at one corner; light overall toning. Otherwise fresh color and fine detail based on photos.