Bean VineItō Jakuchū · 701
Japanese Traditional
701
126.0cm x 48.0cm
Itō Jakuchū (1716 – 1800)
Discover Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800), a revolutionary Japanese painter of the Edo period. Celebrated for his vibrant bird & flower paintings, unique perspectives, and Zen Buddhist influences, he's an 'eccentric' master who reshaped Japanese art.
Itō Jakuchū, son of a greengrocer, used vegetables and plants as a personal iconography that almost always included a moral or religious meaning. This handsome sketch of a bean plant, paired with a poem by Ōbaku Zen monk Musen Jōzen (Tangai), refers to a story about the Chinese poet Cao Zhi (192–232), whose tyrannical brother, Cao Pei (Emperor Wen), once commanded him to compose a poem before he took seven steps, threatening him with execution if he failed. Tangai’s verse makes an erudite reference to Cao Zhi’s original poem comparing himself and his brother to the parts of a bean plant, while also alluding to the Zen philosophy of nonduality. The green vine puts forth blossoms, and its pods are like half-formed swords. The bean and stalk are inseparable; both were born from the same roots. —Trans. John T. Carpenter
About this artwork
- Title: Bean Vine
- Artist: Itō Jakuchū
- Year: 701
- Original dimensions: 126.0cm x 48.0cm
- Format: Portrait
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Movement: Japanese Traditional
- Corpus context: cao zhi's literary tale, zen buddhism symbolism
- Keywords: 18th century art, zen garden art, bean vine artwork
- Color hue: Ochre to Sepia
Questions & Answers
How does "Bean Vine" by Itō Jakuchū connect Japanese Traditional to the artist's home country?
The Japanese Traditional work "Bean Vine" was made by an artist born in Japan.
How does "Bean Vine" balance light and dark?
"Bean Vine" by Itō Jakuchū is recorded as brilliant, with a bright balance luminance.
Which artist and which style stand behind "Bean Vine"?
Itō Jakuchū created "Bean Vine" within the Japanese Traditional movement.
Does "Bean Vine" by Itō Jakuchū use strong contrasts or soft harmonies?
In "Bean Vine", a gentle contrast is paired with a unified palette harmony.
What explains the copyright situation of "Bean Vine" by Itō Jakuchū?
"Bean Vine" by Itō Jakuchū is in the public domain - its copyright has expired. Copyright duration runs from the artist's death, which occurred in 1800.