Baiitsu was an itinerant artist who came into contact with diverse artistic influences, including the work of the Chinese painter Shen Nanpin (Shen Quan, 1682–1758), who worked in Japan from 1731 to 1733, as well as that of other Chinese painters known in Japan. Baiitsu transformed these influences into an original style of his own, which was characterized by a sensuous surface quality and serene clarity. Distinctive to his technique was his inclination to use black ink in the same manner in which colors were customarily applied-that is, not only for linear brushwork but also for soft washes. Skillfully combining these ink washes with washes of color and well-defined, sinuous contours, he contributed a lyrical, intimate vision of nature to Japanese Nanga painting.
