Ike no Gyokuran · 1727–1784
Ike no Gyokuran
Ike no Gyokuran was a mid-Edo-period literati painter, poet, and calligrapher born in Kyoto. The wife of Ike no Taiga, she excelled at paintings in Taiga's style and left many fine small works. Anecdotes about her, like those about her husband, survive.
Ike no Gyokuran was born in Kyoto in 1727 (some say 1728) and died in 1784. She was a literati painter, poet, and calligrapher. Her family name was Tokuyama and her given name was Machi. Her art names included Shofu and Yuga (Yuka), and her studio names were Katandokyo and Kaidoka.
She learned waka poetry from her mother and Nanga painting from Yanagisawa Kien. She was given the character "Gyoku" from Kien's art name, Gyokkei, and took the name Gyokuran. She later studied Nanga under Ike no Taiga and married him when he was 30.
She excelled at painting in Taiga's style, and many of her fine works are small pieces. Her gravestone inscription describes her character as "gentle, dressing plainly, and readily following her husband's tastes." According to the temple's death register she died at 58, though there are various theories. Her works include "Leisurely Stroll by a Stream."
