This Japanese shikishi print by 矢野徹志 (Yano Tetsushi) features a lively sequence of cattle studies rendered in expressive sumi ink. Rather than presenting a single, fixed composition, the artist arranges multiple views of sheeps across the surface—standing, resting, and turning—creating the feeling of a sketchbook page brought to life.
The brushwork is loose and spontaneous, with confident, abbreviated lines that suggest form and movement without excessive detail. Variations in ink density—from pale washes to bold, dark strokes—give the animals weight and texture, while leaving ample white space that allows the figures to breathe. This economy of means reflects a deep understanding of traditional ink painting, where suggestion is valued over precise realism.
Yano Tetsushi (矢野徹志) from Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県), being an artist, he has several roles: potter (works in Tobe-yaki, 砥部焼), painter, writer. He refers to himself as a “jack-of-all-trades” (“何でも屋”). From 1970, he served as the first curator at the Ehime Prefectural Museum. In 1974, he became a teacher at the Tobe branch of Matsuyama Minami High School (愛媛県立松山南高等学校 砥部分校), and continued in that teaching role until 2001. To facilitate his creative work, he established Muzé Satoyamabō (ミュゼ里山房) a complex of atelier, workshop, gallery, and shop, as an art base in the Tobe area.
His art name (雅号) is 里山人 (Satoyamajin), which he uses for his pottery, illustrations, and writing.
Size: 24 x 27cm
