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Despite his individualism and involvement in the scholarly and artistic community of Kyoto, Jakuchû was always strongly religious, and retired towards the end of his life to [[Sekihô-ji]], a [[Mampuku-ji]] branch temple on the southern outskirts of Kyoto. There, he gathered a number of followers, and continued to paint until his death at the age of eighty-five.

Despite his individualism and involvement in the scholarly and artistic community of Kyoto, Jakuchû was always strongly religious, and retired towards the end of his life to [[Sekihô-ji]], a [[Mampuku-ji]] branch temple on the southern outskirts of Kyoto. There, he gathered a number of followers, and continued to paint until his death at the age of eighty-five.

[[File:Jakuchu-screens.JPG|center|thumb|800px|''Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants'', Joe and Etsuko Price Collection.]]

[[File:Jakuchu-screens.JPG|center|thumb|800px|''Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants'', Joe and Etsuko Price Collection.]]

Most of Jakuchû's works were in the form of hanging scrolls, painted in a combination of Western and traditional Japanese methods and styles. A very common theme among his work is birds, in particular chickens and roosters, though several of his more famous paintings depict cockatoos, parrots, and phoenixes.

Most of Jakuchû's works were in the form of hanging scrolls, painted in a combination of Western and traditional Japanese methods and styles. A very common theme among his work is birds, in particular chickens and roosters, though several of his more famous paintings depict cockatoos, parrots, and phoenixes.

One of his most ambitious endeavors, and therefore most famous works, is known as the "Pictures of the Colorful Realm of Living Beings" (動植綵絵, ''Dôshoku sai-e''). Begun around 1757 and not finished until 1765, the Pictures are a set of twenty-seven hanging scrolls created as a personal offering to the Shôkoku-ji temple. They depict a number of animal subjects in monumental scale and with an according degree of detail.

One of his most ambitious endeavors, and therefore most famous works, is known as the "Pictures of the Colorful Realm of Living Beings" (動植綵絵, ''Dôshoku sai-e''). Begun around 1757 and not finished until 1765, the Pictures are a set of twenty-seven hanging scrolls created as a personal offering to the Shôkoku-ji temple. They depict a number of animal subjects in monumental scale and with an according degree of detail.

Another of his famous pieces, dubbed "Birds and Animals in the Flower Garden," is arguably one of the most modern-looking pieces to come out of Japan during this period. The piece, one of a pair of six-fold screens, depicts a white [[elephants|elephant]] and a number of other animals in a garden. What makes it unique, eccentric and modern is the division of the entire piece into a grid of squares roughly a centimeter on each side. Each square was colored individually, in order to create the resulting aggregate image. It is part of the Price Collection of the Shin'enkan Foundation in Los Angeles.

Another of his famous pieces, "Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants" (seen above), is arguably one of the most modern-looking pieces to come out of Japan during this period. The piece, one of a pair of six-fold screens, depicts a white [[elephants|elephant]] and a number of other animals in a garden. What makes it unique, eccentric and modern is the division of the entire piece into a grid of squares roughly a centimeter on each side. Each square was colored individually, resulting in an aggregate image that is, essentially, pixelated. It is part of the Price Collection of the Shin'enkan Foundation in Los Angeles.

Jakuchû also experimented with a number of forms of printing, most of them using woodblocks. But occasionally he would use stencils or other methods to produce different effects.

Jakuchû also experimented with a number of forms of printing, most of them using woodblocks. But occasionally he would use stencils or other methods to produce different effects.