Crane under a Branch of Plum

In this evocative ink painting, Jakuchū, one of the most innovative painters of the Edo period, depicts a solitary crane poised beneath blossoming plum branches. The crane, a symbol of longevity and fidelity, is rendered in simple outline, while the plum blossoms, harbingers of spring, suggest renewal and resilience. The accompanying inscription by the Ōbaku Zen monk Setsudō (Jounsha Shiteki) from Osaka—who achieved renown for his kyōka (witty 31-syllable verse) and kyōshi (witty Chinese verse)—deepens the spiritual resonance of the scene, uniting painterly precision with poetic meditation. Jakuchū’s bold compositions and refined brushwork reflect both his reverence for nature and his imaginative departures from convention. This collaborative work exemplifies the Edo period’s dynamic fusion of painting, poetry, and calligraphy. The auspicious kyōka here, which should be read left to right, reads:

疫拂ひの　春をむかえて 咲く梅に
やあらめでたや　鶴は千年

Eki harai no
haru o mukaete
saku mume ni
ya ara medetaya
tsuru wa chinen

As spring arrives,
sweeping away disease,
how auspicious to see,
beside the plum in bloom,
the crane of a thousand years.

(Trans. John T. Carpenter)