Hanabusa Itchō (英一蝶)

Hanabusa Itchō (英一蝶) was an artist documented as active between the years 1615 and 1770. Known for both painting and published works, the artist’s output is preserved today in prominent American institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Works attributed to Hanabusa Itchō (英一蝶) represented in museum collections include four paintings and one illustrated book, the Itchō Picture Album (Itchō gafu). The paintings reflect a diverse subject range, encompassing religious iconography, genre scenes, and performance art. Key preserved examples include the devotional works Daoist Immortal and Jizō Bosatsu, alongside detailed compositions such as Taking Shelter from the Rain. The artist’s versatility is further demonstrated by the two-sided screens depicting Bugaku Dances (front) and Chinese Lions (reverse).

The surviving examples of Hanabusa Itchō (英一蝶) paintings are studied extensively and are considered museum-quality works. Their detailed compositions and historical significance mean that many of these works are reproduced as high-quality prints for modern accessibility.