58

Wind God and Thunder God / Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn

Ogata Korin/Sakai Hoitsu

Wind God and Thunder God / Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn exhibition

Wind God and Thunder God / Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn

High-resolution facsimiles

Material
printed, gold on washi paper
printed, silver on washi paper
Period of creation
The Joint-research Project with CPCP 2019
Collection
Tokyo National Museum

Original

Cultural property designation
Important Cultural Property
Artist
Ogata Korin
Sakai Hoitsu
Historical era
Edo (18th century)
Edo (19th century)
Material
ink, color, and gold on washi paper
ink, color, and silver on washi paper
Medium
pair of two-fold screens
Size
Each Screen H168.2 × W186.6 cm
Collection
Tokyo National Museum

Description

This piece was originally part of a two-sided byoubu-e (painting on folding screens): Kourin made a replica of Soutatsu's Fuujin Raijin-zu (Wind and Thunder Gods screen) on one side, Houitsu painted this piece on the backside, which became his best-known work. It was a monumental two-sided byoubu-e that symbolized the Rinpa tradition, but recently reformed into two separate pairs of screens in order to protect them from damage. On the backside of the Raijin-zu, he painted the summer plants revived by a sudden shower and the swollen flow of a river, and for the Fuujin-zu, the autumn plants swaying and the red leaves of ivy blown in a strong wind.
Houitsu (1761–1828) was captivated by Kourin's paintings after taking a number of painting styles of different schools and established the Rin-pa tradition in Edo and made it flourish there. Nonetheless, the elegant and refined taste common to poetry, which is another field of art he practiced, is dominant in his style. For example, tarashikomi, a painting technique that is part of the Rinpa tradition, is mainly used in his paintings to paint plants and flowers with poetic feelings. While this is an elegant painting of charming plants and flowers painted on a silver undercoat, it is also worth noting that he also tries to create a vivid color-effect by not shading the colors. Hoitsu aimed for the natural integration of poetic emotion and decorative technique. This piece can be said to present the high point of his paintings. The signature-seal "by Houitsu" and a round seal with red letters "Bunsen" (another name of Houitsu) are found on both panels.

— Cited from Colbase

How the Works Are Created

How the Works Are Created

This section introduces the production process of high resolution facsimiles by combining Canon’s latest imaging technology and the authentic craftsmanship of Kyoto in the Tsuzuri Project.

About the Tsuzuri Project

About the Tsuzuri Project

This section shares the significance and passion behind the Tsuzuri Project and how we utilize the high resolution facsimiles of precious cultural assets, which are designated as national treasures and important cultural assets, and Japanese artworks that have left Japan.