Pheasants in the Snow

In the upper half of the vertical canvas, the branches of an old tree heavy with snow spread boldly, and below them towers a rock piled with snow. On the rock, a male pheasant with a long trailing tail and a female pheasant with plain feathers nestle together. At their feet bloom red and orange flowers, and the background sky is painted a brownish color that sets off the white snow all the more. Beside the rock at the left are a signature and a seal.

In Genryo (1718-1767) was born in Shuri and is also known by the name Zama Yosho (Zamami Yosho). His talent for painting was recognized from childhood and he was summoned to the royal government, where he studied under the court painter Yamaguchi Soki (Go Shiken). He also joined an embassy to China, and painted ugiei, portraits of the king.

It is regarded as a work in the tradition of Chinese court-style bird-and-flower painting, which depicts birds and flowers in fine, vivid color, and some studies point out similarities in composition and technique with the Ming bird-and-flower painter Lu Ji. As a rare work that survived the war, in which many Ryukyuan paintings were lost, it is designated a cultural property of Okinawa Prefecture.