GESSEN(1741-1809)
Tobosaku(Dong fang Shuo)
The middle of Edo Era
Colors on silk
109.7×62.5cm
Gift of the OZU family

A figure looks around, and tries to find the right moment to snatch the ripe peach. The subject of the painting is a Chinese magician (sennin) called Tobosaku (Dongfang Shuo).

A peach was considered as a magical fruit which gave eternal youth and longevity. Tobosaku is said to have stolen and eaten the peach belonging to a magician called Seiobo(Xiwang Mu), by which he acquired magical powers and lived to be 800 years old. It is an auspicious theme which has been frequently painted since the ancient times. It was also not uncommon for Tobosaku to be painted as a pair with Seiobo.

Gessen(1741-1809), who was a monk belonging to the Jodo Sect, was also one of the most prominent monk-painters of the late Edo preiod. After having pursued his studies in painting and Buddhism in Edo and Kyoto, he became the chief monk of the Jyakusho-ji Temple in Ise, sometime after turning 30.

Gessen, in his life time, used three different types of Chinese characters to express his name. This has been quite useful in arranging his works in chronological order. We can identify the date of this work as having been produced in thes early thirties, not so long after he moved to Ise, from the particular Chinese character he used to sign the work, and by the brand-new seal of "Jyakusho Shujin (master of Jyakusho)".

Gessen was very prolific in his late years due to his popularity and his works ranged in quality. However, this work has been painted very carefully, and the facial expression which has adopted the Western-style expression which was the latest trend at the time, makes it a noteworthy piece.

(Yasuhiro Yamaguchi)