After Ike no Taiga and Yosa Buson’s Ten Conveniences and Ten Pleasures - Totoki Baigai

A delicate Bunjinga ink painting by Totoki Baigai, depicting a quiet scene of fishing from a boat, inspired by the literati tradition of Ike no Taiga and Yosa Buson.

This work by Totoki Baigai belongs to the Bunjinga tradition, a style of Japanese painting that emerged among scholars and intellectuals who admired Chinese literati culture. Baigai, a student of the renowned Ike no Taiga, produced this piece as a homage to the celebrated Ten Conveniences and Ten Pleasures series, originally created by Taiga and Yosa Buson. The subject matter reflects the idealised life of the recluse, focusing on simple, quiet activities removed from the demands of public office or urban life.

The composition features a small, covered boat occupied by figures engaged in fishing. The brushwork is light and fluid, characteristic of the literati approach, which prioritised personal expression and spontaneity over rigid technical precision. The ink washes are applied with restraint, allowing the texture of the paper to remain visible. A column of calligraphy runs vertically along the right side, integrating text with the visual scene. This practice of combining poetry or prose with imagery is a hallmark of the Bunjinga aesthetic, where the artist acts as both painter and poet.

Baigai captures a moment of stillness on the water. The figures are rendered with minimal detail, yet their posture and interaction convey a sense of calm companionship. The muted palette, dominated by soft greys and subtle earth tones, reinforces the contemplative mood of the scene. By referencing the work of his predecessors, Baigai situates himself within a lineage of artists who valued the pursuit of personal cultivation and the appreciation of nature. This print offers a glimpse into the philosophical underpinnings of the Edo period literati, where art served as a medium for exploring themes of simplicity, leisure, and the quiet joys of existence.