Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800) was an extraordinary and highly individualistic Japanese painter of the mid-Edo period, known for his vibrant and meticulous depictions of birds (especially roosters and fowl), fish, flowers, and other animals.
Born in Kyoto as the eldest son of a wealthy wholesale greengrocer, Jakuchū inherited the family business but showed little interest in commerce, preferring to dedicate himself to painting from his late thirties onwards after handing over the business to his younger brother.
Unlike many contemporary artists who belonged to established schools like the Kanō or Tosa, Jakuchū was largely self-taught, although he studied Zen Buddhism and was familiar with Chinese painting traditions, particularly the detailed bird-and-flower paintings of the Song and Yuan dynasties, as well as Japanese Rinpa school aesthetics. Jakuchū developed a unique and instantly recognizable style. He is famous for his 'Colorful Realm of Living Beings' (Dōshoku Sai-e), a series of thirty large hanging scrolls depicting a dazzling array of flora and fauna with incredible detail, rich colors, and almost obsessive precision. These scrolls, along with his 'Birds and Animals in the Flower Garden' screens, are considered national treasures of Japan.
He was also a master of ink wash painting (sumi-ga), creating lively and expressive monochrome works with bold brushstrokes, often contrasting with his highly colored pieces. His rooster paintings are particularly iconic, capturing their proud and energetic nature with remarkable realism yet also a stylized flair.
Jakuchū was a devout Buddhist and had strong connections with Zen temples in Kyoto, particularly Shōkoku-ji, to which he donated the 'Colorful Realm' series. This spiritual inclination is often reflected in the focused intensity and meditative quality of his work.
He was a contemporary of artists like Maruyama Ōkyo, who founded the Maruyama school known for its blend of Western naturalism and Eastern techniques, and Yosa Buson, a renowned haiku poet and Nanga painter. While Jakuchū shared an interest in direct observation of nature with Ōkyo, his style remained highly distinctive and often more decorative or even eccentric.
He did not run a large studio or have many direct pupils in the traditional sense, which contributed to his relative obscurity for some time after his death. However, his work was rediscovered and gained immense appreciation in the late 19th and 20th centuries for its technical brilliance, originality, and unique vision.
Today, Itō Jakuchū is celebrated as one of Japan's most innovative and imaginative painters, whose dedication to his craft and singular artistic path resulted in a body of work that continues to astonish and delight viewers.
If you want to know more about the artist: Itō Jakuchū - Wikipedia
