Jakuchū, the Playful Painter
― also featuring Kōrin, Ōkyo, Shōhaku, and others ― Commemorating the 220th anniversary of the artist’s death
October 4th (Sunday),2020～March 28th (Sunday),2021
The painter Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800) was active in Kyoto during the mid-Edo period. While born as the eldest son of a wealthy merchant, he was not interested in fame or profit and did not like academic study, entertainment, or recreation. He just devoted himself to his sole pleasure: painting. Jakuchū lived as a playful painter until the ripe age of eighty-five, a rarity for someone in his day. To mark the 220th anniversary of his death, Okada Museum of Art will present all seven of its Jakuchū artworks at this exhibition.
It is the first time in four years that these four color paintings and three ink wash paintings, which span from his early to late years, will be on display together. They are as follows: “Flowers and Rooster,” which Jakuchū painted in his late thirties when he was studying painting and running his family's vegetable wholesale business, “Peacock and Phoenix,” from around when he was forty years old and focusing entirely on painting, “Birds and Plum Blossoms,” “Rooster in Snow,” “Rooster Standing on a Hat,” and “Crested Myna and the Moon,” which he painted his late forties, as well as “Thirty-Six Immortal Poets,” which he produced at the age of eighty-one. Visitors are invited to enjoy the colorful world of Edo period painting through these Jakuchū artworks as well as those of the Kanō school (which Jakuchū studied), Ogata Kōrin, Ogata Kenzan (Kōrin's younger brother), the leading Kyoto painter and Jakuchū contemporary Maruyama Ōkyo, the brilliant Soga Shōhaku, and others.
Introduces some of the artworks currently on display.
Itō Jakuchū
Flowers and Rooster
Mid-Edo period mid-18th century地面に向かってついばむ雄鶏（おんどり）の姿、花びらや葉の一枚一枚の細かな描写は、写実的でありながら時に誇張を交えて真に迫り、装飾的な美しさをも添えています。 伊藤若冲（1716～1800）は、京の錦小路（にしきこうじ）の青物問屋の長男として生まれますが、40歳で弟に家督（かとく）を譲ってからは、画作に明け暮れる生活を送りました。自宅の庭に鶏を数十羽飼い、徹底的に観察しては写生に励んだと伝えられます。この絵は、落款や画風から、画業に専念する以前の初期作の一つに位置づけられます。
Itō Jakuchū
Peacock and Phoenix
Edo period ca.1755 (Hōreki 5)この作品は、ちょうど伊藤若冲（1716～1800）の生誕300年にあたる2016年に、83年ぶりの大発見として報道され話題を呼びました。代表作「動植綵絵」（宮内庁三の丸尚蔵館蔵）30幅の制作が始まった宝暦7年（1757）頃、すなわち数え年42歳頃より前に描かれたと考えられるもので、若冲の画業では早い時期にあたります。いまだ初々しさが感じられ、細部までほどこされた緻密な描写が素晴らしい、まさに若冲の傑作の一つに数えられる作品です。広島藩浅野家12代藩主浅野長勲（ながこと 1842～1937）旧蔵。
Itō Jakuchū
Birds and Plum Blossoms
Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century
Itō Jakuchū
Rooster in Snow
Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century
Itō Jakuchū
Rooster Standing on a Hat
Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century
Itō Jakuchū
Crested Myna and the Moon
Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century
Itō Jakuchū
Thirty-Six Immortal Poets
Edo period 1796 (Kansei 8)
Ogata Kôrin
Chrysanthemums
Early Edo period beginning of the 18th century
Ogata Kenzan
Moonflowers and Red Maple Tree
Mid-Edo period first half of the 18th century
Maruyama Ôkyo
Three Beauties
Edo period 1783 (Tenmei 3)
Nagasawa Rosetsu
Poet Botanka Shôhaku
Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century
Ding ware
Foliate Rim Bowl with Carved and Incised Peonies Design, White porcelain
Northern Song dynasty 11th century花の大きさが異なる二種類の牡丹の折枝文（おりえだもん）を交互に表しています。伏せ焼きによる薄作りの器体と牙白色（げはくしょく）の肌、流麗な彫りは、最盛期の定窯の特徴です。本作は「鳥野子」（鳥の子紙に由来し、卵色のやきものを指す）と記された古い箱書きによって、江戸時代以前からの伝世品とわかる希少な作品です。
Ding ware
Bowl with Impressed Floral Scroll Design, White porcelain
Jin dynasty 12th ‐13th century小さな高台（こうだい）から直線的に開いた、シャープな形が美しい碗です。型押し（印花、いんか）で、宝相華唐草文を表し、口縁（こうえん）に雷文（らいもん）をめぐらせています。これとほぼ同じ文様で、大定24年（1184）以降の年紀のある型が複数出土しています。耀州窯などにも見られる流行した図柄です。
Yaozhou ware
Bowl with Carved and Incised Peony Design, Celadon
Northern Song dynasty 11th - 12th century縁の6ヶ所にわずかに窪みをつけた輪花（りんか、花形）の鉢に、一輪の牡丹と葉が広がっています。片切彫りにより、文様を立体的に見せ、花弁や葉脈は櫛掻きを加えています。光沢のあるオリーブグリーンの釉薬と、切れ味の良い彫りが調和した本作は、耀州窯の最盛期の作品です。
Ru Ware
Bowl, Celadon
Northern Song dynasty 11th—12th century口が広く、縁から底にかけて緩やかにすぼまる、ゆったりとした姿の深鉢です。縁の内側は二重の線で陰刻され、貫入（かんにゅう）と呼ばれる釉薬の細かなヒビが器全体を包み込み、底裏に5つの小さな目跡が見られます。伝世品には珍しい形ながら、この美しい釉調と汝窯独特の小さな目跡から、極めて希少な汝窯青磁と位置付けられる逸品です。
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Flowers and Rooster
Itō Jakuchū Mid-Edo period mid-18th century -
Important art
Peacock and Phoenix
Itō Jakuchū Edo period ca.1755 (Hōreki 5) -
Birds and Plum Blossoms
Itō Jakuchū Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century -
Rooster in Snow
Itō Jakuchū Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century -
Rooster Standing on a Hat
Itō Jakuchū Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century -
Crested Myna and the Moon
Itō Jakuchū Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century -
Thirty-Six Immortal Poets
Itō Jakuchū Edo period 1796 (Kansei 8) -
Chrysanthemums
Ogata Kôrin Early Edo period beginning of the 18th century -
Moonflowers and Red Maple Tree
Ogata Kenzan Mid-Edo period first half of the 18th century -
Important art
Three Beauties
Maruyama Ôkyo Edo period 1783 (Tenmei 3) -
Poet Botanka Shôhaku
Nagasawa Rosetsu Mid-Edo period latter half of the 18th century -
Foliate Rim Bowl with Carved and Incised Peonies Design, White porcelain
Ding ware Northern Song dynasty 11th century -
Bowl with Impressed Floral Scroll Design, White porcelain
Ding ware Jin dynasty 12th ‐13th century -
Bowl with Carved and Incised Peony Design, Celadon
Yaozhou ware Northern Song dynasty 11th - 12th century -
Bowl, Celadon
Ru Ware Northern Song dynasty 11th—12th century
