Rat on the Hammer of Daikoku 1874 - 1942

Takeuchi Seihô made this painting of a rat on the hammer of Daikoku, probably using ink and color on silk. Look at how immediate and direct the marks are – the artist really went for it, capturing a sense of movement and spontaneity. There’s this wonderful contrast between the almost cartoonish depiction of the rat and the more abstract rendering of the hammer. The flat, matte surface lets you focus on the forms themselves, making you think about the gesture and the act of painting, rather than getting lost in any illusion. My favorite part is the way the tail of the rat loops and curves, mimicking the shape of the hammer. It’s like the artist is saying that art is a conversation, each element echoing and responding to the others. For me it calls to mind Cy Twombly, but with a zen twist. Art is about embracing the unexpected and finding meaning in the everyday.