The brush that paints life: The world of Ito Jakuchu

The brush that paints life: The world of Ito Jakuchu

Kyoto, mid-Edo period. Ito Jakuchu, the eldest son of a vegetable wholesaler in Nishiki Market, handed over the family business to his younger brother at the age of 40 and devoted himself to painting. He focused on the "shapes of life" hidden in everyday life. He painted chickens, fish, insects, flowers and plants with such precision that it was as if he were looking at them through a microscope.

Jakuchu's masterpiece: "A Colorful Picture of Animals and Plants"

This series consists of 30 colored paintings on silk. Each feather of a crane, the swaying petals of a peony, the transparency of a goldfish's tail—each is the fruit of observation and obsession. Rather than simply painting beautiful pictures, perhaps he was asking, "What does it mean to be alive?"

"Painting is a mirror that reflects the stillness within the soul."

It's as if those words are coming from his pen.

Jakuchu's innovation

Jakuchu honed his techniques through self-study without a teacher. While incorporating Western perspective and color theory, he established his own unique style that combined ink painting with color. His works, which combine bold composition with delicate details, truly lie "between realism and fantasy."

A fusion of nature and philosophy

His paintings also offer glimpses of Buddhist thought: the transience of life, a sense of reincarnation, and the beauty of impermanence. Jakuchu's chickens are not just poultry, but appear to be bearing the truth of the universe.

Jakuchu's works resonate with the modern world

Jakuchu's works continue to fascinate many people even today. The exhibition also featured textile reproductions of his paintings, breathing new life into them through the fusion of these with traditional crafts. The Chiba City Museum of Art also exhibited his ink paintings, drawing attention with one of his early works, "Parrot."