Old Pine Tree and Peacock 1761

Ito Jakuchu created this painting of an "Old Pine Tree and Peacock" with ink and colour on silk. The vertical composition and the stark contrast between light and dark immediately capture our attention, evoking a sense of drama and the sublime. Jakuchu masterfully employs negative space, allowing the cream background to accentuate the peacock's luminous plumage. The feathers create a cascade of rhythmic patterns that lead the eye downward, only to be grounded by the dense, almost impenetrable, thicket of pine and floral undergrowth. The artist’s meticulous brushwork transforms the peacock into a symbol, perhaps of purity or nobility, set against the dark, earthly realm. Consider how Jakuchu uses the peacock’s gaze, directed upwards and outwards, as a point of contrast to the dense enclosure. This formal tension introduces a semiotic interplay, suggesting themes of aspiration and freedom. This image is not merely a depiction of nature, but a sophisticated visual dialogue between form and symbol, light and dark.