Ogata Korin

A painter from the mid-Edo period. He was born as the second son of Kariganeya, a long-established Kyoto kimono merchant. His father was Ogata Soken, and his younger brother was Kenzan, a famous ceramic artist. His given name was Koretomi, and his childhood name was Ichinojo, but he took the name Korin from around the age of 34. He used the pen names Masatoki, Jakumyo, Dosū, Kansei, Koresuke, and Seidō.

During the Momoyama period, Dohaku of the Ogata family married the elder sister of Honami Koetsu, becoming related by marriage to the Honami family. The family also provided kimono services to Yodo-dono and the wives of Tokugawa Hidetada, laying the foundations for the prosperity of Karigane-ya. Korin, who grew up in a distinguished family and in a financially privileged environment, enjoyed a rich life from an early age, frequenting the Nijo residence with his father and enjoying Noh theatre. In contrast to the down-to-earth Kenzan, the young Korin's flamboyant personality drove him to a life of freedom and debauchery. He inherited a huge inheritance from his father at the age of 30, but spent it all within a few years, leading to ruin, but it is said that it was around this time that he began to seriously consider a career as an artist. He first studied painting under the Kano school painter Yamamoto Soken, and later gradually became interested in the paintings of Tawaraya Sotatsu, developing Sotatsu's decorative painting style into a new style and perfecting the Sotatsu Korin school (Rinpa). One person who supported Korin's life as a painter was the Ginza official Nakamura Kuranosuke. Not only did he support Korin financially, but the two were also close in many ways, and their friendship continued until Kuranosuke was exiled for charges related to the coinage reform.

Korin became a Hokkyo at the age of 44 in 1701 (Genroku 14), but most of his belongings were created in the 10 years or so after this until his death. The Irises Screen (National Treasure, Nezu Museum), thought to have been created soon after he became a Hokkyo, highlights the subject on a gold background, and has a clear design that emphasizes the simple design effect, reminiscent of Korin's early paintings. Nakamura Kuranosuke Portrait (Yamato Bunkakan), painted in 1704, is a rare portrait by Korin, and demonstrates his keen observation and excellent brushwork in realistic depiction. In the same year, Kuranosuke was transferred to Edo for work, and Korin followed suit, spending several years there.

As he himself recalled, his life in Edo was not pleasant, as he was forced to paint in the homes of esteemed feudal lords. However, this change in environment resulted in a unique turning point in his painting career. Instead of his previous strong inclination toward form centered on design, his eye for capturing nature was endowed with a rich lyricism, and his moist brushstrokes dominated the paintings. The autumn grasses painted on Fuyuki Kosode (Tokyo National Museum), thought to be a work from this period, exudes melancholy in their lovely form, and the moist brushstrokes in Azalea (Hatakeyama Memorial Museum) also create a deep emotion with their splashed-ink style. And the Waves Screen (Metropolitan Museum of Art) well expresses Korin's own feelings at the time with its dark, high-pitched seascape. Returning to Kyoto in 1712 (Shotoku 2), Korin devoted the next four years to his creative endeavors until his death on June 2, 1712 at the age of 59. His representative work from this period, "Red and White Plum Blossoms Screen" (National Treasure, MOA Museum of Art), beautifully combines red and white plum trees blooming in the spring sunlight with a stylized flowing water pattern in the same picture, and represents the culmination of Korin's artistic career.

Other well-known relics include the "Peacock Standing Hollyhock Screen," which was originally a partition for the Kujo family, the "Wind God and Thunder God Screen" (Tokyo National Museum) based on Sotatsu's original painting, and many other ink paintings that make use of light brushwork, such as the "Bamboo and Plum Screen" (Tokyo National Museum), "Vimala" and "Hotei Playing Kemari." He also showed an excellent sense of form in the area of ​​craft design, leaving behind magnificent designs on "Fuyuki Kosode," the Yatsuhashi Makie Raden Inkstone Box (Tokyo National Museum), many Kenzan ware paintings, as well as fans and incense packets. Furthermore, the collection of Korin materials that was passed down to the Konishi family, into which his son (Juichirou) was adopted, includes a number of important documents, including sketchbooks, drawings, preliminary sketches, and designs for craft designs, which provide an intriguing glimpse into the behind-the-scenes development of Korin's art.

After Korin, many artists admired his style, including Fukae Roshu, Tatebayashi Kakagei, and Sakai Hōitsu. They were active mainly in Edo, and established the Rinpa tradition in the area.

[Yasushi Murashige]

"Korin" edited by Tanaka Ichimatsu (1959, Nihon Keizai Shimbun)" ▽ "Korin-related materials from the Konishi family collection and their research" by Yamane Yuzo (1962, Chuokoron-Bijutsu Shuppan)" ▽ "Primary Color Japanese Art 14: Sotatsu and Korin" by Yamane Yuzo (1969, Shogakukan)" ▽ "Complete Collection of Japanese Art Paintings 17: Ogata Korin" by Kono Motoaki (1976, Shueisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の画家。京都の呉服商の老舗(しにせ)、雁金(かりがね)屋の次男に生まれる。父は尾形宗謙(そうけん)、弟に陶芸家として名高い乾山(けんざん)がいる。名は惟富(これとみ)、幼名を市之丞(いちのじょう)といい、34歳ごろから光琳と名のる。方祝(まさとき)、寂明(じゃくみょう)、道崇(どうすう)、澗声(かんせい)、伊亮(これすけ)、青々堂などの号を用いた。

　尾形家は桃山時代、道柏(どうはく)が本阿弥(ほんあみ)光悦の姉を妻に迎え本阿弥家と姻戚(いんせき)関係になり、また淀君(よどぎみ)、徳川秀忠(ひでただ)夫人らの呉服の御用を勤めて雁金屋全盛の基礎を築いた。由緒ある家系と経済的にも恵まれた環境に育った光琳は、幼いころから父と二条家に出入りし、能楽に興じる豊かな生活であった。地道な乾山とは対照的なはで好みの性格は、若い光琳を自由で遊蕩三昧(ゆうとうざんまい)の生活に駆り立てる。30歳で父の莫大(ばくだい)な遺産を継いだ彼は、数年でこれを使い果たし破局を迎えるが、本格的に画業を志したのはこのころとされている。絵は初め狩野(かのう)派の画家山本素軒(そけん)に学び、のちしだいに俵屋宗達(たわらやそうたつ)の絵画に傾倒し、その装飾画様式を新展開させて宗達光琳派（琳派）を大成させた。このような光琳の画家生活を支えた者として銀座役人、中村内蔵助(くらのすけ)の存在は大きい。彼は経済的に光琳を支援したばかりでなく、2人はさまざまな面で親しい間柄にあり、その交友関係は、内蔵助が貨幣改鋳に伴う罪を問われて流罪に処せられるまで続いた。

　光琳は1701年（元禄14）44歳で法橋(ほっきょう)になるが、彼の遺品はこれ以後没するまでの十数年間につくられたものがほとんどである。法橋になってまもないころの作とみられる『燕子花図屏風(かきつばたずびょうぶ)』（国宝・根津美術館）は、金地の上に対象を抽出し、簡潔な図案効果を強調した明快な意匠性を訴え、早い時期の光琳の作画をしのばせる。04年に描いた『中村内蔵助像』（大和(やまと)文華館）は光琳の珍しい肖像画であるが、観察の鋭さと写実描写の優れた筆技を物語る。この年、内蔵助は江戸に転勤するが、光琳も後を追うように下向し、数年間をこの地で過ごす。

　江戸在住期間の生活は、自ら述懐しているように、格式張った大名家に赴いて作画を強いられるなど、けっして快いものではなかったようであるが、この環境の変化は彼の絵画活動にまたとない転機を与える結果となった。これまでの意匠を中心とした造形性への強い志向にかわって、自然をとらえる目には豊かな叙情性が備わり、湿潤な筆が画面を支配する。この時期の作とみられる冬木小袖(こそで)（東京国立博物館）に描きつけた秋草図は、その可憐(かれん)な姿に憂愁が漂い、『つつじ図』（畠山(はたけやま)記念館）も溌墨(はつぼく)風の潤んだ筆が深い情緒を奏でる。そして『波濤図(はとうず)屏風』（メトロポリタン美術館）は、波高い幽暗な海景に当時の光琳自身の感情がよく表されている。1712年（正徳2）に京に帰着した光琳は、正徳(しょうとく)6年6月2日に59歳で没するまでの4年間を晩年の創作活動に傾ける。この時期の代表作『紅白梅図屏風』（国宝、MOA美術館）は、春の陽光を浴びて咲き誇る紅白の梅樹と、図案的な流水文とを同一画面にみごとに統合させたもので、光琳の画業の集大成をみることができる。

　このほかの遺品では、もと九条家の衝立(ついたて)であった『孔雀立葵図(くじゃくたちあおいず)屏風』、宗達の原画によった『風神雷神図屏風』（東京国立博物館）などが知られ、水墨画では『竹梅図屏風』（東京国立博物館）のほか、『維摩図(ゆいまず)』『蹴鞠布袋図(けまりほていず)』など軽妙な筆を生かした作品が多い。また工芸意匠の面にも優れた造形感覚を示し、「冬木小袖」のほか、八橋蒔絵螺鈿硯箱(やつはしまきえらでんすずりばこ)（東京国立博物館）、乾山焼の絵付(えつけ)の数々、さらに団扇(うちわ)、香包(こうづつみ)などにみごとなデザインを残している。また彼の子供（寿市郎）の養子先小西家に伝わった光琳資料一括のなかには、写生帖(ちょう)をはじめ、デッサン、下絵、工芸意匠の図案など重要な資料が多数含まれ、光琳芸術成立の裏面をうかがうことができて興味深い。

　光琳以後その画風を慕った画家は多く、なかでも深江蘆舟(ろしゅう)、立林何帛(たてばやしかげい)、酒井抱一らは名高い。彼らは江戸を中心に活躍し、琳派の伝統をこの地に定着させた。

［村重　寧］

『田中一松編『光琳』（1959・日本経済新聞社）』▽『山根有三著『小西家旧蔵光琳関係資料とその研究』（1962・中央公論美術出版）』▽『山根有三著『原色日本の美術14　宗達と光琳』（1969・小学館）』▽『河野元昭著『日本美術絵画全集17　尾形光琳』（1976・集英社）』

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