A World of Edo Art
Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716) was the son of a wealthy kimono merchant in Kyoto who designed and sold kimono to aristocrats. Although he inherited a small fortune as a young man after his father died, he spent it all on extravagant pleasures and soon had to make a living by painting. Becoming an artist later in life, he never had a long apprenticeship and developed his unique style by transposing artistic and design ideas from textiles and lacquerware to his paintings, resulting in a blend of pattern and picture.
Decades after Kōrin created his dynamic artworks, Sakai Hōitsu discovered them, inspiring him to emulate Kōrin's style and lay the foundations for the Rinpa school of painting, which was named after Kōrin by taking the Rin from his name.
