paintings by shohaku , who was already referred to as a ' maverick ' or ' mad ' painter in the art history of the edo period , dealt with traditional subjects such as hermits , karajishi (chinese lions ) and chinese fables , but the way they were presented was unconventional and daring , with ugly and comical subjects that jangle the nerves and cannot fail to make strong impression . 江戸時代の画史においてすでに「異端」「狂気」の画家と位置付けられていた蕭白の絵は、仙人、唐獅子、中国の故事など伝統的な画題を扱いながら、その画題を醜悪、剽軽に描き出すなど表現は型破りで破天荒なものであり、見る者の神経を逆撫でするような強い印象を与えずにはおかない。
