Image of Daikoku and the Artist's Seals

Art Historical Context

Nagasawa Rosetsu created this elegant hanging scroll during Japan’s Edo period, when ink painting flourished among artists exploring both traditional Buddhist themes and lively secular subjects. The work portrays Daikoku, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, whose image has long symbolized wealth, protection of the household, and abundant harvests in Japanese culture. Painted in ink and color on paper, the tall, narrow format (185.3 × 45.8 cm) is characteristic of hanging scrolls meant to be displayed in a tokonoma alcove, inviting quiet appreciation as the seasons change. Rosetsu’s seals, prominently featured alongside the figure, serve as both signature and artistic statement, a practice that underscores the personal connection between painter and viewer in East Asian art. As part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Arts of Asia collection, the scroll offers visitors a glimpse into the spiritual and artistic traditions of 18th-century Japan, where religious iconography and refined brushwork came together to inspire both devotion and aesthetic delight.

About the Artist

Nagasawa Rosetsu (Japanese) · 1754 –1799

Japanese, 1754–1799