Description KOTO YOSHIN: A FINE KANO SCHOOL PAINTING OF 'SCHOLAR READING A SCROLL'By Koto Yoshin, signed Yoshin hitsu (Painted by Yoshin) and seals Yoho and FujiwaraJapan, 1830-1850Remarkably detailed painting depicting a bearded scholar wearing voluminous robes and a prominent headdress, holding a fan in one hand, seated on a barrel stool at a table and reading a scroll unrolled before him. Ink on very fine silk. With a yellow silk brocade frame, laid down on board.Condition: Good condition, as expected and commensurate with age. With old wear and traces of use, soiling, browning, foxing, creasing, small losses, minor touchups.Provenance: From an English private collection.SIZE 59 x 42.7 cm (image), SIZE 78 x 68.7 cm (incl. mounting)Koto Yoshin (active 1830-1850), son of Koto Yozan (circa 1780-1846) of the Kano School painting. They were originally from Satsuma Province (in modern Kagoshima Prefecture) but settled in Edo. Both worked in the atelier of the Kobikicho branch of the Kano School painting. Koto Yoshin studied under his father and Kano Seisen'in Yasunobu (Kano Osanobu: 1796-1846), 9th head of the Kobikicho branch of the Kano School Painting, Edo (Tokyo).　As a customary practice carried out by the Kano School atelier, Koto Yoshin took part in various projects of copying Chinese paintings in famous collections, such as a painting of a bunch of wild narcissus flowers which was originally painted by the Chinese master painter Zhao Mengfu趙子昂 (1254-1322); the copy (dated 1843) by Yoshin is now in the National Museum of Tokyo collection.A stack of books rests beside the scroll, a small censer on an incense stand (xiangji) as well as further scrolls, a lacquer box, various vessels, and other scholar's objects on a high table behind a standing screen painted in magnificent quality with crashing waves, all behind a large curtain with floral roundels to the right side.