Gamboling Puppies, 1779, Maruyama ?kyo, Japanese, Shij?, 1733 - 1795, 15 1/2 x 20 3/4 in. (39.37 x 52.71 cm), Hanging scroll; ink and light color in silk, Japan, 18th century, One of O_kyo's great innovations was to sketch directly from nature. This approach, together with his interest in anatomy, led to works imbued with Western realism. Even when O_kyo painted in the traditional broad brush manner, as seen here, his use of foreshortening gave his subjects a convincing degree of volume. While O_kyo painted a wide range of subjects, including figures, animals, and landscapes, his lighthearted portrayals of gamboling puppies are particularly numerous.