Description: This painting from the Kano school offers an unusual image of a hermit, who is still a boy. He is wearing a richly pleated garment, his chest, belly and leg are naked and the nails on his fingers and toes are very long. His facial features are unusually expressive, especially the eyes! He is holding a toad (gama) in one hand and appears captivated by it. The hermit with a toad is known as Gama Sennin. A steep cliff covered with bamboo in the background. Red seal with characters MOTO-NOBU 元 信 in seal script. This work was painted in the style of this great master of the Kano school, who lived between 1476 and 1559. Mounted with silk and silk brocade, ivory jikusaki (one piece missing). With wooden box. Condition: Traces of age and wear; minor scratches and one jikusaki missing Provenance: From a German collection, acquired at the Cologne auction house Lempertz in 2002