by Getsuju This rare Edo-period work by Getsuju brings image and inscription into a single dynamic composition. At its center sits a boldly painted toad, executed in sweeping black ink with a looseness the artist himself described as a “drunken brush.” The figure is both imposing and humorous, its rounded form balanced by the delicacy of the surrounding script. The calligraphy tells a parable: a mouse, disguised in a monk’s robe, rails against his enemies, while the toad, cloaked in rags, declares a life free from desire beneath the temple hall. Chiding the mouse for clinging to petty concerns, the toad counsels purification of the mind. A faithful reproduction of the original ukiyo-e masterpiece, printed on premium-quality, cotton canvas using giclée printing for lasting vibrancy.
