He first started by "drawing gold or silver lacquers on seal cases", but soon developed his own style, and became known for pictures of landscapes, flowers and birds, and portraits.
[1] Mochizuki Gyokusen, the third generation of his clan, worked at Ninomaru Palace of the Kanazawa Castle in his youth, in 1809, under Kishi Ganku.
He left Kyoto for Nagasaki and then moved to Edo, to study under Tani Bunchō.
[1] Mochizuki Gyokusen IV studied under his father, and was active during Meiji and Taishō eras.
[5] Mochizuki Gyokkei was the fifth-generation artist of his family school, active in Kyoto in Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa eras.
[1] Mochizuki Gyokusen (born in 1943) is a lacquer artist and a professor of Kyoto City University of Arts.