Synopses & Reviews
Sakai Hand#333;itsu was one of the most prominent painters of late 18th- and early 19th-century Japan, known for technical bravura, arresting compositions, and striking use of color. After becoming a Buddhist monk, Hand#333;itsu was able to dedicate himself to painting, establishing a studio and studying the work of Ogata Kand#333;rin (1658and#8211;1716). Hand#333;itsu successfully revived the earlier artist's style, which later came to be known as Rimpa, "the school of Kand#333;rin."
The first book in English to focus exclusively on the work of this important artist, Silver Wind examines fifty-eight of Hand#333;itsu's works and those of his predecessors and artistic heirs, ranging from scrolls and screens to fans, lacquer, and woodblock-printed books. Accompanying essays explore Hand#333;itsu's discovery and reinterpretation of Kand#333;rin's artistic legacy; the aesthetics of the Rimpa style; and the career of Suzuki Kiitsu, his leading student.
Review
andldquo;Rimpa is a Japanese artistic tradition noted for its decorative and poetic imagery. Sakai Hoitsu was one of the last artists to work in the style, and one of the most notable if undervalued practitionersandhellip;the book should be an important contribution to understanding Japanese art of the period.andrdquo;andmdash;Publishers Weeklyand#160;
Review
and#8220;[An] elegant, well researched catalogand#8230;Highly recommended.and#8221;and#8212;Choice
Synopsis
Silver Wind is the first English publication to focus exclusively on the work of Sakai Hand#333;itsu, one of the most prominent artists of late-Edo Japan.
About the Author
Matthew P. McKelway is Takeo and Itsuko Atsumi Associate Professor of Japanese Art History at Columbia University. Tadashi Kobayashi is former professor of art history at Gakushand#363;in University, Tokyo. Toshinobu Yasumura is director of the Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo.