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1716–1800 Birthplace: Present-day Kyoto Prefecture
Born in 1716, Jakuchu was the eldest son of a vegetable wholesaler’s household in Nishikikoji,
Kyoto. While working in the family business, he studied painting, creating works distinguished
by meticulous detail, masterful technique, and unique compositions. Gunkei-zu is lifelike, and
yet hyperreal at the same time. He is known for works like Juka Choju-zu Byobu (Birds and
Animals in the Flower Garden), which was created using the masume-gaki technique and
resembles a digital pixel-art piece.
The Kaki Tenjo-zu are ceiling paintings that Jakuchu painted when he was over 80 years old. In
the Meiji era, these paintings were compiled by Unsodo into a collection of colored woodblock
prints titled Jakuchu Gafu.