Uragami Gyokudō

Uragami Gyokudo (1740-1820) was a literati painter of the mid-Edo period. His family name was Ki, his real name was Ske, and his pen name was Kimisuke. He was first called MUZUSAI and later changed his name to GYOKUDO. His alias was Hyouemon. After his father’s death at the age of 7, he succeeded to his father’s estate, studied at the feudal lord’s school, and became the chief retainer of the feudal lord, Ikeda Masaka, and rose to the position of ookozuke (chief retainer). Gyokudo was stationed in Edo (present-day Tokyo) during his service, and often traveled back and forth between Okayama and Edo. In Edo, while performing his official duties, he studied the zither and poetry, and learned painting in association with Tani Buncho and others. At the age of 35, he acquired a seven-string zither by Gu Yuanzhao of the Ming Dynasty, from which he took the name Gyokudo Kotoshi, and remained a lover of the zither throughout his life. He is known for his unique ink and wash brush strokes, and his landscapes rich in poetic sentiment.