Golden Koi

About this work

Two golden koi circle each other in deep indigo water. Lotus leaves and pale blossoms float around them, and every scale is picked out in raised gold leaf. The movement is slow and circular, and the dark water makes the gold seem warm and close.

Rinpa painting, which grew in Kyoto from the early seventeenth century, favoured natural subjects, flowing water and generous gold. Golden Koi is inspired by that spirit rather than copied from any single work. Koi carry a long symbolism in Japan. A legend that came from China tells of a carp that swam up a waterfall and turned into a dragon, so the fish came to stand for perseverance and success. On Children’s Day, families fly carp streamers called koinobori. Two koi together are often seen as a sign of harmony.

Calm and luxurious, it works in a bathroom, an office or a living room, on deep blue, teal or warm white walls, and it brings a sense of slow movement to a still room. Hang it with Golden Rain on the Bridge and Golden Fireworks over the River for the Edo Nights in Gold set. The file prints sharply to roughly 76 cm on the long edge at 300 dpi.