Rooster and Hen with Turnips

This is a painting of a pair of chickens in a turnip field. The rooster in the center of the composition cranes its neck downward, and its head is depicted turned upside down. The rooster is depicted with its long head, chest, and tail stretching horizontally, while the hen crouches in the turnip leaves in the lower part of the composition. Traces of bug holes and color-altering disease are visible on the leaves. The turnips that are sprouting from the ground display a blending of colors between the damaged leaves and the sections divided by the veins that are mixed with forms created in Jakuchu’s mind. It is thought that this painting was created by Jakuchu in his early 30s, making this his earliest known work so far.