Kanzan-and-Jittoku
Ike Taiga turns the legendary Zen eccentrics Kanzan and Jittoku into almost abstract circles of ink in this playful scroll. The top figure peeks out from a giant white robe with a mischievous grin and hands pressed in prayer, while the bottom figure is bent over completely, presenting a bare back to the viewer in a gesture of ultimate humility—or perhaps just a good stretch. As a master of the Nanga literati style, Taiga loved to break traditional rules, reducing these famous poets to whimsical, round shapes that feel more like bold calligraphy strokes than serious portraiture.
- Technique
- Ink wash
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