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。