Fukada Chokujō: Skillful Pre-Modern Japanese Painter Based and Worked Actively in Osaka
Fukada Chokujō was (1861-1947) born in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. He moved up to Kyoto, an ancient capital of Japan, and he started to learn the Shijō School Japanese paintings under Morikawa Sobun. Since 1879, Chokujō submitted his paintings to several exhibitions and received awards. In 1903, he was the judge for the 5th Naikoku Kangyō Hakurankai. He was also the regular member of the Nihon Bijutsu Kyōkai and the Osaka Kaigakai. He once taught at the Kyōto-shiritsu Kaiga Senmon Gakkō (the Kyōto City Specialist School of Painting). In his later life, he moved to Osaka and devoted his time to research of paintings and nurtured next generations, mostly. In addition to landscape and flowers & birds paintings, he was good at sketching of fish.
In this work, Kikka Shōkin-zu (Chrysanthemums and a Small Bird painting), Chokujō presented the perspective by contrasting of the shade and light of the leaves. He was also succeeded in depicting the unique chrysanthemums’ blossoms using *koroku, a technique of drawing. By drawing the straight bamboo support stakes with sharp lines, it gives a unique vibrant and lively impression to the entire screen. This proves how skillful he was.
* kōroku: One of the Oriental drawing techniques, contour method. Outlining with fine lines and then color the inside. Used in flowers & birds paintings. Along with mokkotsu technique, this is one of the two major drawing techniques.