Analysis Of Ito Jakuchu's Bull And Puppy

The Edo period in Japan brought many changes and great artworks into Japan and into the world, the artists responsible for these great works of art include many from Ito Jakuchu to Soga Shohaku, but none could deny the contributions Nagasawa Rosetsu made to art during this flourishing time in Japan. His unique style led to the creation of many peculiar and charming pieces of arts. Among these was the artwork “Bull and Puppy”, this piece of art helps to understand the one of a kind style the Rosetsu created, a mixture of western style shading and Japanese subject matter it is both elegant and light-hearted, and is arguably one of the best pieces of work he created in his lifetime.
1754, we see the birth of one of the most “unconventional” artist …show more content…
The “Bull and Puppy” depicts a gigantic bull lying down while an over exaggerated small puppy sits on his side staring at the viewer with a rather happy and goofy look on his face. The art is that of a larger animal looking over a smaller one, however this particular piece of art did not invoke the same feeling that other pieces of the same subject matter invoked, this piece invokes amusement. This is all can be attributed to the simple fact that it was painted for rich Kyoto merchants who wanted to brag about their mass wealth. The medium of the artwork is ink and gold wash and it was painted on a pair of six-panel screens. Ink wash is a form of painting that focuses on tonality and shading, with the stroke of the brush you can produce different results in tone. This is achieved by taking an inkstick or inkcake a solid form of ink and placing it into an inkbowl with water, then proceeding to grind it till you acquire black ink. You get different tones by applying wet ink to already duller colored wet ink. The gold wash refers to a thin coat of metal added with the brush to the artwork. The brush itself is traditionally made from bamboo and the hair of certain animals. The brush hairs however have to be tapered or reduce the thickness in the end of the brush into a fine point, this is essential in ink wash painting. The fine point of the …show more content…
This is a piece of art with such a plebian subject matter and light hearted demeanor and yet painted elegantly enough to appeal to Rich Kyoto merchant patrons. “Bull and Puppy” is a piece of art that endures today, as does the name Nagasawa Rosetsu, and will most likely continue to endure, the style and pieces of art that were created through the hand of the artist Rosetsu, are both delightful and a marvel to behold. Currently located at the Los Angeles County Musuem Of Art “Bull and Puppy” remains one of the finest pieces of art works created by Rosetsu and to have come out of the Edo period in