池大雅筆「楼閣山水図屏風」（国宝） / 東京国立博物館

Taiga Ikeno

A literati painter of the mid-Edo period who mastered this style of painting along with Buson Yosa

1723–1776

Ikeno painted southern-style paintings (nanga), also known as literati paintings (bunjinga), from the mid-Edo period. He is conjectured to have been born in Nishijin, Kyoto (present-day Kyoto City). His father, Kazaemon Ikeno, worked in a low position at the silver mint. He changed his given name to Kin, Ko, and Arina, and used painter names such as Taigado and Kyuka Sansho. Kien Yanagisawa, a well-known southern-style painter, is said to have been the one who discovered Taiga’s talent as a painter. In his late 20s, Ikeno traveled to Edo and the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions, working to refine his painting skills. He tried to assimilate traditional Japanese painting methods, like those of the Rinpa school, as well as Western methods of painting. He eventually established a carefree, individualistic style of painting called the Taiga style. Along with Buson Yosa, he is deemed one of the greats of the southern style of painting. Representative works of his include Juben jugi zu (Ten Advantages and Ten Pleasures of Country Life), the folding screen Rokaku sansui zu (Landscape with Pavilion), Sansui jinbutsu zu (Landscapes and Figures), a painting on sliding doors at Henjoko-in Temple on Mount Koya, and Rosho zu (Old Pine Tree). He was a noted calligrapher, as well. In 1760, together with his friends Fuyo Ko, a seal engraver and painter, and Tenju Kan, a calligrapher and painter, he climbed to the summit of Mount Fuji, Mount Tateyama, and Mount Hakusan. He left us his journal and sketches of these climbs, Sangaku kiko zu (Images of Travel to the Three Peaks), which also occupies an important place in Edo-period travel literature. His wife, Gyokuran, received instruction from Taiga and is known as a female landscape painter.

Related People, Things and Events

A style of painting mastered by Taiga Ikeno and Buson Yosa
A painter who mastered nanga along with Taiga Ikeno
A group of artists that has held sway over Japanese painting circles for 400 years
Taiga Ikeno left sketches of Mount Fuji, Mount Tateyama, and Mount Hakusan as Sangaku Kiko Zu (“Images of Travel to the Three Peaks”).
Jakuchu Ito was a well-known painter from the mid-Edo era in Kyoto. He first studied with the Kano School, then developed his skills by studying the painting style of the Rinpa School and Chinese paintings from the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties. In recent years, he has regained recognition for his realistic painting style and unique colors.
A detailed naturalistic painter of the middle Edo period who captured the hearts of a generation 1733-1795

Books

Books Written by Taiga Ikeno

池大雅(画),佐々木総四郎、清水宗七
池大雅の画譜。宝暦10年（1760）刊。池大雅の画譜は、従来数種が確認されているが、本書は、大雅が生前直接的に関与した唯一の画譜。また、板木・板本・出版記録が揃って現存しているてんも貴重。
池, 大雅,基次勘石
大雅堂の法帖。正面版で文政10年の板。布目表紙もすっきりしており、中々凝ったもの。
池大雅（画）,林喜兵衛
伊孚九、池大雅（画）、韓天寿(編)
中国、清代の画家の伊孚九（いふきゅう）と池大雅の絵を収録した画譜（有名な画家の作品を模写した絵手本集）。享和3年（1803）刊。伊孚九は、享保５年（1720）貿易商人として長崎に来航し、南宋画法を伝えて池大雅などの南画家に大きな影響を与えた。二人の絵を模写したのは江戸時代中期の文人、篆刻家の韓天寿。
池大雅 [書],[出版者不明]
寛政12年［1800］刊。「千字文」は時代ごとの書道の手本という役割を担っている。

Related Works

池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–76),團伊能氏寄贈,Gift of Mr. Dan Ino,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
This pair of folding screens features two famous scenic areas in China. The right screen depicts Yueyang Pavilion, a building on the shore of Dongting Lake, while the left screen shows Zuiweng pavilion, located in the mountains of Anhui province. These are based on two scenes from an album of paintings from Qing dynasty China, which began in 1644 and ended in 1912. Several people have gathered at the top of these buildings to stand amongst the stunning nature and enjoy the tranquility. On a ground of gold foil, the artist had dynamically sketched scenes of nature using sumi ink and translucent pale green hues. This is complimented here and there by vivid ultramarine, vermillion, and verdigris tones. The painter, Ikeno Taiga, was active during the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 till 1868. Many painters at the time were drawn to modern Chinese culture. Taiga was one of these and his works were influenced by Nanshuga, a style of literati painting from Ming and Qing dynasty China, a period between the mid-14th to early 20th centuries. Though Taiga never travelled to China, this work of imagination is infused with his longings for the Middle Kingdom. Try to imagine yourself stepping into this world to enjoy a chat with these merry people.
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–76),東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
The picture to your right depicts Xihu in spring, while the picture on your left shows high tide in Qiantang. Xihu is a lake to the west of Hangzhou city in China's Zhejiang Province. It has long been regarded as a beauty spot and was featured in many paintings down the ages. Qiantang, meanwhile, is a river also located in Zhejiang Province. During high tide in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, sea water surges up the river against the current. The picture shows people watching this phenomenon, known as a tidal bore. Can you see how color has been added to the trees, rocks, buildings, and people? Light yellow, indigo, green, and reddish hues are splashed across the screen to create the impression of water or verdant nature gleaming in the sun. The paper was a lot whiter when the painting was first created. This probably lent the colors a more translucent quality that conveyed the sense of light more vividly.
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga,九州国立博物館,Kyushu National Museum
Painter Ike no Taiga (1723–76) found great success in producing nanga, a style of Chinese painting favored by literati (intellectuals) in Japan. This work depicts a famous view of Matsushima in Mutsu Province (present-day eastern Tohoku). The pristine scene is imbued with the fresh sensibility of a young artist who had enjoyed his time in the area. Taiga painted this piece on holiday in Kanazawa in 1749, a year after his visit to Matsushima.
池大雅,Ike no Taiga (Ike Taiga),京都国立博物館 Kyoto National Museum,Kyoto National Museum
重要文化財。本図の主題は漁に興じる人々の様子であるが、それは景観の中に溶けこんでしまって目立たない。むしろ大雅の関心は、画面下方から蛇行しつつ上昇していく自然の景観の描写にあり、純粋な水墨画であるにもかかわらず、豊饒な色彩を感じさせる。
池大雅
池大雅,Ikeno Taiga
大雅30代頃の画。人物と家屋は繊細な筆致で、周りの山と樹木などは太い線を効果的に用いて描く。藍を主体に、代赭、黄、朱などを施し、清らかな趣のある作品。大雅様式の大きな特徴である色彩の濃淡が、画面全体を奥行きと広がりのある空間に仕上げ、高所に隠棲する超俗の仙客を描き、仙境を現出している。妻である玉欄の《辺溪閑遊図》とともに、この双幅の掛軸は、大雅・玉欄夫妻が共同で制作した数少ない、大変に貴重な名品の一つ。
池大雅,Ike no Taiga (Ike Taiga),京都国立博物館 Kyoto National Museum,Kyoto National Museum
この屏風は、宝暦10年（1760）に池大雅が友人の高芙蓉・韓天壽とともに、富士山・立山・白山の三山に登った折のメモ帖を貼り交ぜたもので、江戸時代の旅行記としても貴重。
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–76),久世民榮氏寄贈,Gift of Ms. Kuze Tamie,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
This painting of a gourd and eggplant was inspired by a popular [shamisen] (stringed instrument) song of the day involving eggplants.
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–76),東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
大雅は28歳の時に日本文人画の先駆者である祇園南海を訪ねるなど２回は紀州を訪れており、その際に那智滝を実見したと思われます。淡彩とやわらかな墨のグラデーションが那智滝周辺の湿潤な空気までをも感じさせる、大雅40代後半の作品です。
池大雅筆,久世民榮氏寄贈,東京国立博物館
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–1776),藤森まつ子氏寄贈,Gift of Ms. Fujimori Matsuko,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
Depicted here is the Chinese poet Lin Hejing (967–1028) returning home, where a little boy is waiting for him at the entrance. Lin was said to have adored plum blossoms and cranes, and even raised some of the birds himself. Appropriately, the screens here also feature flying cranes and plum blossoms in full bloom.
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–1776),植松嘉代子氏寄贈,Gift of Mrs. Uematsu Kayoko,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
Several children support the intoxicated Chinese poet Li Bai (701–762) from behind. Inscribed on the top is a poem by Li Bai's contemporary Du Fu (712–770), entitled Thinking of Li Bai on a Winter's Day. According to the inscription, the artist of this work, Ike no Taiga (1723–1776), so happened to paint this on a winter's day.
池大雅筆,By Ike no Taiga (1723–76),久世民榮氏寄贈,Gift of Ms. Kuze Tamie,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
This painting shows a scene from the Noh-theater play [Takasago]. In this play an old man recites a poem about paired pine trees that symbolize his relationship with his wife.
池大雅
静岡県立美術館。「宝暦癸未」すなわち宝暦13年（1763）の年紀がある。この六曲屏風は中国の晋の時代の故事にちなみ、春の「蘭亭曲水図」（右隻）と秋の「龍山勝会図」（左隻）を、池大雅が描き分けたものである。本図は、そのうちの「蘭亭曲水図」にあたる。