Japanese Art and Ike no Taiga (Edo Period and China)
Japanese Art and Ike no Taiga (Edo Period and China)
Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Edo Period is often cast in the shadow of isolation and rigid hierarchy—a time when Japan seemed sealed off from the world, its people bound by birth and station. Yet the life of Ike no Taiga (1723–1776) quietly unravels these assumptions. A kindred spirit drawn to the beauty of Chinese culture, Taiga moved through the world with a painter’s soul and a poet’s heart, shaped not by privilege but by the modest means of his upbringing. His story reveals hidden currents beneath the surface of Edo society—currents of inspiration, connection, and quiet rebellion against the constraints of his age.
Throughout history, China and Korea left a profound imprint on Japan, just as Japanese scholars and spiritual leaders journeyed across Northeast Asia in search of wisdom and connection. Shared threads—woven through Buddhism, Confucianism, and other enduring philosophies—bound these civilizations together, shaping their cultures, values, and worldviews in ways both subtle and profound.
The Kyoto National Museum says, “Eighteenth-century Kyoto produced some of the most distinctive and original painters in Japanese history, including big names such as Maruyama Ōkyo (1733–1795) and Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800). But even amongst this star-filled lineup, the artist Ike no Taiga (1723–1776), stands with fellow painter Yosa Buson (1716–1783) as the leader of the Chinese-influenced literati style of painting known as Nanga (“Southern painting”).”
This reality suggests that (regardless of Japan’s intent to close itself off during the Edo Period) the currents of high culture, religion, art, philosophy, and thought had already flowed too deeply to be turned back. The influence of Chinese civilization—and the cultural legacy of Korea—had long since taken root in the land of the rising sun. Ike no Taiga emerged as a natural continuation of this enduring exchange, following in the footsteps of countless Japanese artists shaped by these rich traditions.
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