This gallery features Sumi-e paintings by the master Beppe Mokuza, hand-painted on rice paper.
The themes depicted draw on tradition, as bamboo, plum blossoms, orchids and chrysanthemums are symbols of the four seasons in China and Japan. They represent the qualities of the gentleman, such as strength and flexibility; spiritual awakening, femininity, and courage in the face of adversity. We also find other much-loved themes such as the enso (the circle), Zen calligraphy, and symbolic animals such as cranes, pandas, birds, etc.
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper depicting bamboo. The meaning of bamboo Bamboo is a symbol of enduring friendship and longevity. It represents flexibility rooted in strength. A metaphor for life, it evokes the character of the wise; green in all seasons, it does not break under the force of hurricanes. This indicates a human quality of great adaptability that makes a person strong precisely because, when faced with life’s events, they do not resist change but flow with it and adapt to it. Size: 50 x 23 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. The meaning of the plum tree The plum tree symbolises spring because its flowers bloom whilst there is still snow on the ground. It is a symbol of spiritual awakening. The plum tree embodies vigour, longevity, resilience and independence; it is ‘like an orphan who stands up on their own without anyone’s help’. Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. The meaning of the plum tree The plum tree symbolises spring because its flowers bloom whilst there is still snow on the ground. It is a symbol of spiritual awakening. The plum tree embodies vigour, longevity, resilience and independence; it is ‘like an orphan who stands up on their own without anyone’s help’. Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. The meaning of the plum tree The plum tree symbolises spring because its flowers bloom whilst there is still snow on the ground. It is a symbol of spiritual awakening. The plum tree embodies vigour, longevity, resilience and independence; it is ‘like an orphan who stands up on their own without anyone’s help’. Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper depicting an orchid. The meaning of the orchid The orchid symbolises summer, femininity and elegance. “If you are in a cheerful mood, paint an orchid, for its leaves seem to fly and soar freely through space, its buds open gracefully and serenely, and everything about that flower expresses happiness”. Chüeh Yin Size: 25 x 27 cm
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A hand-painted work on rice paper depicting the enso (circle) and bamboo. Meaning of the enso “Enso”: the Ring of the Way. It represents the totality of the universe and, at the same time, Emptiness (the Void), understood not as the source of Nothing but as the source of Everything. Meaning of bamboo Bamboo is a symbol of enduring friendship and longevity. It represents flexibility rooted in strength. A metaphor for life, it evokes the character of the wise; green in all seasons, it does not break under hurricanes. This indicates a human quality of great flexibility that makes a person strong precisely because, when faced with life’s events, they do not resist change but flow with it and adapt to it. Size: 50 x 23 cm
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A hand-painted work on bamboo paper depicting the enso (circle). Meaning of the enso: “Enso”: the Ring of the Way. It represents the totality of the universe and, at the same time, Emptiness (the Void), understood not as the source of Nothing but as the source of Everything. Size: 50 x 23 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. Meaning of the lily: The red spider lily is known as higanbana, the flower of the equinox, and is associated with the worship and celebration of ancestors. It is also regarded as an almost divine flower that grows in paradise, a symbol of elevation and spirituality. Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted work on rice paper mounted on a white PP backing. The meaning of bamboo Bamboo is a symbol of enduring friendship and longevity. It represents flexibility rooted in strength. A metaphor for life, it evokes the character of the wise; green in all seasons, it does not break under the force of hurricanes. This points to a human quality of great adaptability that makes a person strong precisely because, when faced with life’s events, they do not resist change but flow with it and adapt to it. Size: 16x23cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. The meaning of the orchid The orchid symbolises summer, femininity and elegance. “If you are in a cheerful mood, paint an orchid, for its leaves seem to fly and soar freely through space, its buds unfurl gracefully and serenely, and everything about that flower expresses happiness.” Chüeh Yin Size: 16x23cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper depicting an orchid. The meaning of the orchid The orchid symbolises summer, femininity and elegance. “If you are in a cheerful mood, paint an orchid, for its leaves seem to fly and soar freely through space, its buds open gracefully and serenely, and everything about that flower expresses happiness”. Chüeh Yin Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper depicting bamboo. The meaning of bamboo Bamboo is a symbol of enduring friendship and longevity. It represents flexibility rooted in strength. A metaphor for life, it evokes the character of the wise; green in all seasons, it does not break under the force of hurricanes. This indicates a human quality of great adaptability that makes a person strong precisely because, when faced with life’s events, they do not resist change but flow with it and adapt to it. Size: 50 x 23 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper. The meaning of the plum tree The plum tree symbolises spring because its flowers bloom whilst there is still snow on the ground. It is a symbol of spiritual awakening. The plum tree embodies vigour, longevity, resilience and independence; it is ‘like an orphan who stands up on their own without anyone’s help’. Size: 25 x 27 cm
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Hand-painted artwork on rice paper depicting a chrysanthemum. Meaning of the chrysanthemum: The chrysanthemum symbolises autumn. It is the flower that ‘defies the frost’. In the East, the chrysanthemum is traditionally associated with life and happiness. Size: 25 x 27 cm
