ITO JAKUCHU - PLUMS AND CRANES

 ITO JAKUCHU PLUMS AND CRANES

Plums are a traditional symbol of winter 

Perhaps someone was feeding cranes as pets in a garden ? 

Giving Ito the idea for this work?

Ito Jakuchu - White Phoenix

 #Ito #jakuchu #white #phoenix 

While Ito usually avoided painting dragons or phoenixes preferring birds he also created this masterwork

Phoenix on Tea Caddy

 #Japanese #lacquer is an unceasing source of Delight 

This is the lid of a tea caddy. Such exquisite craft and design !

Have a good Christmas people 

Phoenixes on Japanese Ceramics

#phoenixes # Japanese #ceramics 

 Here is an elegant example of 18thc. #japanese #ceramics showing how the Japanese took imported Chinese techniques and motifs and refined them further. I can think of some 18th Chinese Ceramics that seem to try to use every under and over glaze color with as much detail as possible to the point the figures become patterns whereas this Japanese work is restrained and elegant.

More phoenixes next time as they are this months post theme. Follow this series for examples of phoenixes on ceramics paintings lacquer and more.

Kano Tanshin - Phoenix Screen

 #KanoTanshin #Kano #phoenix #whitephoenix #screenpainting #japanesepainting 

In the 18th century in Japan there are several paintings featuring White rather than Five Colored Phoenixes. I suspect the reasons for this are printed books showing Phoenixes as outline drawings, imported chinese or other east asian monochrome ceramics, and the influence of minimal aesthetics valuing the concept of reduced colors.

Here's one example. This is the middle two screens of a six screen painting.

The white is probably a mineral pigment and stands out all the more given the muted restrained use of colors as highlights on the rest of the set of screens.

This is Kano but you can  see how Kano influenced Rimpa and how both influenced later Nihonga works?