芥子図|Poppies

Kitagawa Sōsetsu

mid-17th century · Hanging scroll; color and gold on paper · Asian Art

This work is traditionally attributed to Kitagawa Sōsetsu, one of the top pupils of Tawaraya Sōtatsu, who is recognized as the founder of Rinpa, a school of painting famous for stylized and often colorful depictions of natural forms. But exactly who created this composition is hard to pin down since a number of Tawaraya Sōtatsu’s pupils appear to have used “I’nen” seals, similar to the one found on this painting. The stock-in-trade of the artists who used the “I’nen” seal at this time were screens, scrolls, and fans lavishly painted with trees, plants, or flowers, as seen here. As with all Rinpa vegetal motifs, there is a balance between stylization and naturalism. The plants are identifiable but reflect a decorative intent, for they seem completely detached from any real landscape.

Artist

Kitagawa Sōsetsu

Date

mid-17th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; color and gold on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929