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Earlier versions of the descriptions of these paintings first appeared in 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
, edited by Stephen Farthing (2018). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.
Irises (1702)
Ogata Kōrin was born into a rich merchant-class family that owned a textile shop in Kyōto patronized by the ladies of feudal lords and nobles. Kōrin was influenced by the tradition that the artists Kōetsu and Sōtatsu had developed at the artistic community Takagamine, where his grandfather was a member. The Rinpa (“School of Rin”) style established by his two predecessors in fact takes its name from Kōrin, who consolidated the style with his brother Kenzan. After losing the family fortune, Kōrin and Kenzan made their living by designing textiles, screens, lacquer, and ceramics.