Bamboo and Squirrels

Two lively squirrels add interest, charm, and a touch of humor to a classic subject of ink painting, bamboo. While squirrels have no specific symbolic meaning in Japanese art, they appeared as decorative motifs in netsuke, ornamental toggles used to attach personal items to the sash. Paired with bamboo shoots, the courting squirrels allude to the arrival of spring; or perhaps, given the graceful flexibility of bamboo, are a parable of successful marriage. Mochizuki Gyokusen was the first generation of a lineage of artists bearing the Mochizuki name. He began his career creating designs for inrō (tiered boxes worn attached to the sash) in lacquer (maki-e ); perhaps this foundation in the decorative arts inspired the choice of subject for this painting. Gyokusen later studied Tosa and Kanō styles of painting under Tosa Mitsunari (1646–1710) and Yamaguchi Sekkei (1612–1669) respectively.