Rooster in the Snow
雪中雄鶏図
A lone rooster pauses for a moment, searching for food among the thickly piled snow. This is Jakuchū’s earliest known painting and was created in his early thirties when he was using the pseudonym Keiwa and was still active in the family business.The contrasting black tail and red comb as well as Jakuchū’s outstanding skill in realistic depiction give the subject a strong sense of presence among the snow. The rooster was considered a creature of virtue in China and there is a reading of this painting which suggests that Jakuchū may have layered his own image onto this rooster, aloof from the world.Traits suggesting the style Jakuchū would later develop are found in the detailed rendering of the rooster and the unusual shape of the snow-laden bamboo.