Skeletons under study, Shaku Kaiyin, Meiji period Japan

This painting on paper, mounted on a scroll with colored paper borders, titled Skeletons at Study, depicts a circle of skeletons seated around a master teacher, in a scene that is both playful and philosophical. Done in ink on paper, the work evokes monks, attentive, listening to their mentor who sits in the center. The circular composition symbolizes equality and unity in the search for spiritual truth. Despite its caricatured appearance, this work has a similar meaning to European vanitas, a reflection on the ephemerality and superficiality of the body in the face of the eternal spirit.

Liu Chao, also known as Shaku Kaiyin, was a Japanese monk from Tokoname, active during the Meiji era. In addition to his paintings, he authored numerous educational textbooks published in Tokyo, such as the Japanese Complete Maps Guidebook and the Bankoku Geographical Summary. A principal of a public elementary school, he later worked for Buddhist reform alongside scholars Fumio Nanjo and Enryo Inoue, co-founding the “Ho no Tomo” think tank with them.
Towards the end of his life, Liu Chao specialized in painting skeletons, using this imagery to convey Buddhist messages about the emptiness of appearances and spiritual liberation.
Good general condition, some small stains or folds visible in the photos, a repair in the upper part of the assembly.
206 x 58cm
The painting alone measures 139 x 47 cm
Storage box.