Imagine having one foot firmly in the modern world and the other planted deep in the realm of folklore and fantasy. A precious pet cat always by your side. Or in your arms...
That’s sort of how we'd describe Poshichi Rou. The Japanese artist is known for blending ancient techniques with a contemporary twist to create beautiful pieces that feel both timeless and otherworldly. Their work has a quiet magic about it. But this wasn't always the case.
There was a time when Poshichi's paintings were filled with gloom, reflecting the way the artist felt about life and art. It was only when they adopted a cat two years ago that things changed for the better. Moments of joy made it onto canvas, and the artist's true light began to shine.
Bored Panda has put together a compilation of our favorite of Poshichi's pieces for you to admire while you dream of faraway, ancient lands and dainty paws. We also explore the inspiration behind this artist's work. You'll find that info between the images.
#1 My Family's Cat Is The Model
Image credits: poshichi_rou
Poshichi Rou is a born artist and comes from a family of creatives. Their grandmother studied art at university level and went on to teach art as a career. Their grandfather ran a little framing shop in rural Japan.
So it's no surprise that Poshichi was drawn to art, so to speak, and started sketching and painting at a young age.
#2 I Drew A Japanese Painting Of Me This Morning
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#3 Keep Drawing Until You’re Bored
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Poshichi attended an art high school but soon became discouraged.
“A poster I spent the most time on, was the only one not selected for a contest,” the artist told spoon-tamago.com, adding that they really don’t have any fond memories of that time.
Sadly, Poshichi gave up their dream of becoming a professional artist and opted instead for a boring, "regular" office job. Thankfully, a friend encouraged the budding artist to continue drawing in their spare time.
#4 Cat From Below
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#5 I Can’t Wait To See The Italian Greyhound’s Winter Clothes
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#6 My Cat Fell Ill. When I Held It, It Felt Many Times Heavier, And For The First Time, I Imagined Its Death. It Made Me Realize I Should Treasure The Present Moment
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Poshichi tells the Japanese art, design and culture blog that life was dark during those years.
"I hadn’t found life enjoyable, my days seemed unrealistic, and I had no hope for the future," they said. "I wished the days would just pass by quickly, and I painted pictures that expressed these dark, gloomy feelings."
But as fate would have it, everything changed about two years ago...
#7 Let's Play One Last Time
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#8 Snacks
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#9 I Often Think Of Tatsuya Kinoshita's Poem "A Loved Dog Becomes The Wind In The Next Life, Gently Caressing Your Days Again And Again.".i Think It's A Really Good Poem
Image credits: poshichi_rou
Poshichi decided to adopt a rescue cat, and both their lives changed for the better.
"I know it’s cliche, but ever since adopting my cat, I’ve found many moments of joy," revealed the artist. That cat is featured in many of Poshichi's artworks, sometimes in playful settings. Other times, in more serious and reflective poses. The artist and their cat combine to bring whimsical, magical and surreal vibes.
#10 If They Show You Their Butt, It Means They Trust You
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#11 To Capture A Rainbow
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#12 Long Story Short, I Turned Into A Crab
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Poshichi's style is based on an ancient style of traditional Japanese painting known as nihonga. The word is a general term for traditional Japanese painting, and literally means "Japanese painting."
"Now in common use, this term originated during the Meiji period, to distinguish Japanese painting from Western-style oil painting," explains the Yamatane Museum site. "The distinction between Western-style oil painting and nihonga is thus, broadly speaking, the difference in the painting materials used."
The site adds that while some would argue that anything a Japanese artist paints is nihonga, "the distinction based on materials continues to be used."
#13 Winnie The Pooh
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#14 🦋
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#15 😭
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The painting styles used in nihonga have evolved for over a thousand years. And when it comes to the materials used, according to the museum, the support is paper, silk, wood, or plaster.
Sumi ink, mineral pigments, white gofun (a white pigment made from pulverized seashells), animal or vegetable coloring materials, and other natural pigments are then applied to the canvas (or support), using nikawa, which is an animal glue, as the adhesive. Some artists incorporate gold and other metals in their paintings.
#16 I Drew Myself This Morning
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#17 My Parents Cat And My Cat Are The Models
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#18 When Cutting My Cat’s Claws, I Tried Various Things To Keep Them From Struggling - Putting Tape On Their Head, Covering Their Face With A Laundry Net, And So On - But In The End, Using A Costume (Head Covering) Worked Best
Image credits: poshichi_rou
The museum reveals that these materials are difficult to work with.
"Mastering the necessary techniques requires considerable time and determination," reads the site. "Artists continue to use them, however, because the resulting nihonga style suits the natural features of Japan and the Japanese aesthetic sense and spiritual qualities."
#19 🐈
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#20 You’ll Catch A Cold, Kitty
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#21 Situations Where Cats Are Being Considerate
Image credits: poshichi_rou
Poshichi has managed to put a modern spin on this ancient art form by creating contemporary nihonga-style images of daily life. Along with their cat, the artist allows us to time-travel through Japan on a whimsical journey of unique artworks.
More and more, Poshichi is adding a splash of humor to their art, thanks to memorable moments spent with their feline friend.
“I felt the need to preserve these moments, so I began capturing them in my artwork,” revealed the artist.
#22 👹 Why Is He Here?
Image credits: poshichi_rou
#23 👮
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#24 The Motif Doesn’t Have Any Particular Intention. I’d Rather Hear What You Think I’m Trying To Express
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#25 🐟
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#26 After A Bath, Holding My Cat Makes All The Pain Disappear
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#27 I Went Back To My Roots And Tried Drawing A Long Furby
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#28 I Struggled With The Shape Of The Eyes. In The End, I Chose Something That No One Else Would Pick
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#29 Ohaguro Is A Traditional Custom From The Edo Period In Japan. Because Black Cannot Be Dyed Any Other Color, It Symbolized The Chastity Of Married Women. What Do You Think?
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#30 Today Is Robot Day
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#31 Even When I’m Excited, I Still Feel Sad
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#32 🫨
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#33 🌸
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#34 By The Window
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#35
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#36 👻
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#37
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#38 🥱
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#39
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#40 👄
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#41 🫦🌸
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#42 🍃
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#43 😭
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#44
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#45 💍
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#46 I Drew This With The Feeling Of ‘What Am I Even Doing?’
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#47
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#48
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#49
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#50 🟥🟩
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#51 🔥
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#52 🟤
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