Photo/Illutration A portrait of a beautiful woman under a cherry blossom tree believed to be by Katsushika Hokusai (Provided by Sumisho)

Art curators and collectors are buzzing over the discovery of a previously unknown painting believed to be by renowned ukiyo-e woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849).

The portrait has been apparently in the United States for a while.

The discovery of the portrait of a woman under a cherry tree also seems perfectly timed as sakura have just begun to bloom in Japan.

“The significance of the discovery lies in the fact that the masterpiece was found in such excellent condition,” said Tadashi Kobayashi, an art historian and professor emeritus at Gakushuin University.

Experts are amazed at the nearly perfect condition the painting is in, as if the great master has just finished the work.

Along with the paint used to depict the woman’s kimono, the fragile chalk material used for the cherry blossom petals remains bright and clear.

Unlike many other wall scroll paintings, the portrait has apparently been kept in a frame rather than being rolled up, which could explain how it survived for so long without major damage.

Measuring 79.1 centimeters high and 27.1 cm wide, the piece is signed Hokusai Taito, one of many different names the 19th-century artist called himself. He was active in the late Edo Period (1603-1867).

Kobayashi is convinced the work was painted by the prolific artist in his early 50s in a relatively straight-forward style.

“Hokusai in this period was the leading painter of portraits of beautiful women,” said Kobayashi.

Kobayashi will further discuss the new discovery in the September issue of the art magazine Kokka, published by Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.

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