In Japan during the Tokugawa period, art was highly regarded. The nobility and the rich in particular were proud of their collections and supported artists they considered particularly talented. Sakai Hōitsu himself came from a noble family. He was a prudent, religious man, cautious and inspired by the beauty of nature. As an artist, he was initially unable to settle on a style. Instead, he learned to paint from a few different teachers and showed talent for different genres.
Sakai devoted his entire life to art. Through his dedication to painting, he was accepted to the Kanō School in Kyoto, which was a real honor in 18th century Japan. Only the most talented artists managed to be accepted by these prestigious teachers. The teachers of this school were all from the long lineage of the Kanō family. Their work and institution had shaped the art of the country for centuries, and hardly any aspiring artist could avoid being trained here. Sakai learned the typical Kanō style, which mostly depicted motifs from nature and Japanese mythology in delicate compositions. But Sakai's education did not end at the renowned school. The style of painting he had learned there, while complex and aesthetic, was also increasingly considered old-fashioned. The Kanō family had long dominated the art world in Japan, but by Sakai's time a change was emerging. The social structures of the country were changing, and with them artistic norms. The new middle and upper classes, who had become wealthy through trade, aspired to and could afford art. A certain degree of permissiveness and hedonism spread through Japanese culture. This trend was captured by the ukiyo-e style, which, in contrast to the Kanō style, focused more on human, urban life. Sakai learned this genre, but did not stick with it for long. Perhaps it was his religious convictions, or simple displeasure, that eventually led him to turn back to more traditional motifs. He studied under two more masters until he finally pursued his true inspiration: The Rinpa style, which had been out of fashion for a while but deeply fascinated Sakai.
Sakai spent the later years of his life as a Buddhist monk. He lived in seclusion in a monastery, where he closely studied the Rinpa style. He was particularly taken with the works of Ogata Korin, an artist born almost a hundred years before him. Ogata was considered the most elegant painter of the Rinpa school. His scenes of nature were at once realistic and also abstractions, which came together as design elements to form beautiful compositions. Sakai imitated his style and made some replicas of Ogata's most famous works. In doing so, he succeeded in bringing the Rinpa School back into the public consciousness and inspiring young artists to follow suit.
In Japan during the Tokugawa period, art was highly regarded. The nobility and the rich in particular were proud of their collections and supported artists they considered particularly talented. Sakai Hōitsu himself came from a noble family. He was a prudent, religious man, cautious and inspired by the beauty of nature. As an artist, he was initially unable to settle on a style. Instead, he learned to paint from a few different teachers and showed talent for different genres.
Sakai devoted his entire life to art. Through his dedication to painting, he was accepted to the Kanō School in Kyoto, which was a real honor in 18th century Japan. Only the most talented artists managed to be accepted by these prestigious teachers. The teachers of this school were all from the long lineage of the Kanō family. Their work and institution had shaped the art of the country for centuries, and hardly any aspiring artist could avoid being trained here. Sakai learned the typical Kanō style, which mostly depicted motifs from nature and Japanese mythology in delicate compositions. But Sakai's education did not end at the renowned school. The style of painting he had learned there, while complex and aesthetic, was also increasingly considered old-fashioned. The Kanō family had long dominated the art world in Japan, but by Sakai's time a change was emerging. The social structures of the country were changing, and with them artistic norms. The new middle and upper classes, who had become wealthy through trade, aspired to and could afford art. A certain degree of permissiveness and hedonism spread through Japanese culture. This trend was captured by the ukiyo-e style, which, in contrast to the Kanō style, focused more on human, urban life. Sakai learned this genre, but did not stick with it for long. Perhaps it was his religious convictions, or simple displeasure, that eventually led him to turn back to more traditional motifs. He studied under two more masters until he finally pursued his true inspiration: The Rinpa style, which had been out of fashion for a while but deeply fascinated Sakai.
Sakai spent the later years of his life as a Buddhist monk. He lived in seclusion in a monastery, where he closely studied the Rinpa style. He was particularly taken with the works of Ogata Korin, an artist born almost a hundred years before him. Ogata was considered the most elegant painter of the Rinpa school. His scenes of nature were at once realistic and also abstractions, which came together as design elements to form beautiful compositions. Sakai imitated his style and made some replicas of Ogata's most famous works. In doing so, he succeeded in bringing the Rinpa School back into the public consciousness and inspiring young artists to follow suit.
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