Go Shiken

Birds and flowers by Go Shiken. Okinawa Prefectural Museum

• Born: 1672
• Died: 1743
• Other Names: 山口 宗季 (Yamaguchi Sôki)
• Japanese/Chinese: 呉 師虔 (Go Shiken / Wú Shīqián)

Go Shiken, also known as Yamaguchi Sôki, was a Ryukyuan court painter, known especially for his birds-and-flowers paintings.

Born in 1672, Shiken traveled to China in 1704, and studied under Fuzhou painter Sun Yi. He was appointed to a position as court painter upon his return, producing formal portraits of the kings (ogo-e) and paintings to be presented as gifts to samurai elites, among other sorts of works.

References

• Gallery labels, Okinawa Prefectural Museum.[1]