Rinpa school
Description
Rinpa (琳派, Rinpa) is one of the major historical schools of Japanese painting. It was created in 17th century Kyoto by Hon'ami Kōetsu (1558–1637) and Tawaraya Sōtatsu (d. c.1643). Roughly fifty years later, the style was consolidated by brothers Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716) and Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743).
The term "Rinpa" is an abbreviation consisting of the last syllable from "Kōrin" with the word for school (派, ha) (with rendaku changing this to "pa"), coined in the Meiji period. Previously, the style was referred to variously as the Kōetsu school (光悦派, Kōetsu-ha), or Kōetsu-Kōrin school (光悦光琳派, Kōetsu-Kōrin-ha), or the Sōtatsu-Kōrin school (宗達光琳派, Sōtatsu-Kōrin-ha). Read more ↗
Key Artists
Hon'ami Kōetsu
Renaissance man, master calligrapher, potter, and craftsman who founded the artistic Takagamine community in Kyoto in 1615, establishing the aesthetic roots of Rinpa.
Tawaraya Sōtatsu
Co-founder of Rinpa and master of the Kyoto fan-painting atelier who pioneered 'tarashikomi' (dripping ink onto wet paint) and bold, abstract screen compositions.
Ogata Kōrin
Mid-Edo master from whose name the abbreviation 'Rinpa' (School of Kōrin) is derived, famous for dramatic abstract nature screens and precious material mastery.
Ogata Kenzan
Younger brother of Kōrin and master ceramicist who collaborated with his brother to merge Rinpa painting and calligraphy onto exquisite pottery and square plates.
Sakai Hōitsu
Samurai-turned-monk who led the 19th-century Edo revival of Rinpa, publishing catalog reproductions of Kōrin's works and painting poetic nature screens.
Suzuki Kiitsu
Chief disciple of Sakai Hōitsu who infused late Edo Rinpa with crisp, vibrant realism and bold, almost modern graphic color contrasts.
Famous Artworks
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Fun Facts
Unlike Western art schools founded on direct master-to-disciple studio teaching across generations, Rinpa was an 'affinity school' revived periodically across centuries by artists who studied and adored their predecessors' masterpieces.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org
The name 'Rinpa' was actually coined during the Meiji period by taking the last syllable of Ogata Kōrin's name ('Rin') and combining it with 'ha' or 'pa' (meaning school or faction).
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org