snake and sunflower

I received a commission for a snake and sunflower from a regular customer.

The sunflower came to Japan in the late 1660s, so it is not a very new flower, but it is a motif not often used in ukiyo-e and Japanese carving, so it was interesting to paint it.

The snake’s repeated shedding of its skin reminds us of “immortality and rebirth. In Japan, it is said that seeing a white snake or putting a snake shell in your wallet will bring you luck, and it is also revered as a god of faith.
As a symbol of perfection without beginning or end, it is also known to mean the eternal return of the snake, the origin of the universe, and omniscience and omnipotence.

It is one of the familiar motifs in Japan as a symbol of “good luck,” as there is a popular belief that “putting a snake’s shell in your wallet brings you good luck.

The frame was inspired by the soft flow of water and the harsh rock surface, which I have never painted before. I am going to paint it with colors, so I will post it again then.