Snow, Bamboo & Golden Pheasant: Ito Jakuchu's Rare Woodblock Masterpiece

Nature Through Jakuchu's Singular Vision

Around 1771 (Meiwa 8), Ito Jakuchu created a series of six woodblock prints known as the Kacho Hanga — flower and bird prints of extraordinary technical ambition. This work, Yukitake ni Kinkei-zu (Golden Pheasant amid Snow and Bamboo), is among the most celebrated of the series.

The Golden Pheasant: Jakuchu's Favorite Subject

The kinkei — golden pheasant — is a brilliantly plumed bird of Chinese origin. In the Edo period, live specimens and taxidermy examples made their way to Japan, captivating artists and collectors alike. For Jakuchu, the kinkei was a recurring obsession: its iridescent plumage offered an irresistible challenge to his mastery of color and form.

Bamboo Like No One Else's

The bamboo in this print is unmistakably Jakuchu's — angular, almost architectural, bending and snapping in ways that defy botanical logic. Heavy, rounded clumps of snow press down on each joint. The effect is at once strange and utterly convincing: nature observed with obsessive precision, then reimagined through a singular artistic mind.

A Rare Woodblock by a Master of Paint

Jakuchu is best known for his monumental painted series Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings). But this print reveals another dimension of his genius. Using takuhan (rubbing-print) techniques alongside sophisticated polychrome woodblock printing, Jakuchu achieved a richness of texture and color that rivals his finest paintings.

Add This Piece to Your Collection

Available at Atelier UKIYO. A rare opportunity to own a woodblock print by one of Japan's most beloved and visionary artists.