Nandina and Rooster, by Itō Jakuchū, ca. 1761-1765

Baika kougetuzu painted by Ito Jakuchu (1716 - 1800)

Ito Jakuchu

(1716-1800)

Scroll part, EDO period

Unusual pattern choice for this modern high end obi, inspired by the famous Zo to Kujira-zu byôbu (Elephant and Whale folding screens) painted by mid-Edo animal lover artist Ito Jakuchu.

Those folding screens were rediscovered in 2008. There is apparently no hidden allegory behind the whale/elephant pairing beside the fact that artist once saw an elephant and a whale and (rightly) went "well they're neat".

Those screens were ordered to be displayed during Gion matsuri, and whimsical patterns were often favored for this occasion.

Vincent van Gogh, The Green Parrot, 1886

Jakuchu, Green Parrot on Vine, no. 2, from the series Six Genuine Pictures by Ito Jakuchu, 1897

Itō Jakuchū, "Old Pine Tree and Peacock", 1761

ITO Jakuchu（伊藤若冲 Japanese, 1716-1800）

秋塘群雀図   Autumn Millet and Sparrows    via   more

White Plum Blossoms and Moon by Ito Jakuchu (Undated, hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk)

Moon and flowers

 Ito Jakuchu

Itō Jakuchū (1716 –1800)

Itō Jakuchū: Potential for Flight

Swallow and Camellia by Itō Jakuchū (c. 1900). Ink and color on paper; Meiji era woodblock print reproduction.

I am enraptured by Itō Jakuchū’s art. The stark contrast between the ink-black background and the bold use of color on the foreground is immediately striking, sure. But it’s more than that.

The hues on Swallow and Camellia are not jump-at-you bright, but they are made dazzling nonetheless by graceful saturation. The crimson on the camelia is both soft and intense. Earthy tones on the leaves capture a natural elegance that reminds me of furyu (known in Chinese as fengliu) — a sense of sophisticated beauty present in nature. The concept of furyu originated in the Heian period and often translated to dazzling gardens inspired by a mindful appreciation for nature.

Some of that furyu-esque botanical elegance can be appreciated in Jakuchu’s paintings, with their intricate use of detail and pattern. Jakuchu often employed pointillism in his artworks, and though the context of his art is different from the Western perspective, they do have an impressionistic quality to them, even though Impressionism emerged in the late 1800s!

In any case, Japan’s hermitism during the Edo Period would have echoed the principles of furyu, which has been defined by art historians as “the recluse’s sense of aesthetics” (see an academic paper by Qiu, 2000, that explains the topic of furyu thoroughly).

Elegance certainly seems to be the main descriptor for Jakuchu’s work. But there is also a transcendent depth to his art. From a Westerner’s perspective, the use of a dramatic dark background is reminiscent of tenebrismo, and achieves a similar effect. Themes of transient beauty and the ephemeral quality of nature are brought to the foreground for consideration. Jakuchu, who’s artistic surname means “like the void”, was considered a lay Zen brother by the Buddhist community. As such, an appreciation for the uniqueness of the present moment contrasted against the existential experience of nothingness (not necessarily as dreadful as it sounds) would be a theme in line with Buddhist thinking.

Simply put, themes of life against death and activity against stillness seem to be at play in Jakuchu’s art. An interplay of color and starkness, darkness and motion situate the viewer in the scene captured by Jakuchu’s eye. Forms are outlined in such a way as to create a charged essence that pops into awareness. In this way, Jakuchu urges the viewer to appreciate the present moment with an artful, engaged eye.

Posted originally at INKBRUSHMOOD.com. Read + Discuss!

Plum Blossoms and Moon, by  Itō Jakuchū, ca. 1760

Description

Title: Roosters

Artist: Ito Jakuchu

Date: 1716 - 1800

Style: Ukiyo-e

Genre: Animal Painting

Ito Jakuchu, Skull Painting, 1961

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