Summer and Autumn Flowers by Sakai Hōitsu

"Summer and Autumn Flowers" on folding screen by Sakai Hōitsu

Left screen
Right screen




Ogata Kōrin (1658-1716) copied “Wind God and Thunder God” by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (1570? -1643?), and Sakai Hōitsu (1761-1828) painted his representative work on the back of the folding screen. He drew summer grass just after a shower on the back of “Thunder God” and autumn grass waving in the wind on the back of “Wind God”. It is also a work of a silver folding screen, corresponding to the gold surface.

It is a typical elegant work of him in which lovely flowers and plants are painted on the silver background, but on the other hand, it is one of the characteristics of this work that it aims for a clear color effect by avoiding the change of color density. Various plants such as convolvulus, lilies, golden laces, kudzus, and thoroughwort flowers are depicted here. 

Title: Summer and Autumn Flowers

Author: Sakai Hōitsu

Year: 19th century

Size: 164.5×181.8 cm

Own: Tokyo National Museum

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